There has been a lot of high tension hand wringing in the news lately related to a building expansion explosion in one of my favorite Tacoma neighborhoods known as the Proctor District.
If you have never visited Proctor, I recommend you check it out. They have a Starbucks on the corner, the Pacific Northwest Shop, a movie theater, restaurants, a unique grocery store, and a Lego shop run by a pre-teen called Connect A Brick and much more.
Citizens, who have lived and worked in Proctor complain about the newly built high-rise mixed-use buildings which combine commercial space on the ground floor and residential condos on all the levels above. There are complaints about increased traffic, noise, parking, and the fact that building blocks the sun.
A highly intelligent friend of mine has no solution for the established residents’ growth complaints. He does have a creative idea for the neighborhood to consider as the area expansion continues to change the character of their neighborhood.
If there is any truth to the rumor that a casino is planned for the Proctor District, Tacoma could change the name to Proctor & Gamble.
Joe…there is also an excellent Used-Book Store, Culpper Books, between the Umpqua Bank and the Europa Bistro and across the street from the East-West Cafe, Proctor.
For Don Doman….both restaurants have really excellent food.
Eric & Jennifer Chandler,
We love the Culpper Book Store.
And Don Doman, you know I always want to help you when I can. Check out Knapp’s Restaurant in the Proctor & Gamble District. It was founded by Ned & Corine Knapp in 1938 in the Gamble Building that was built for $100,000 in 1929 by Ray Gamble.
I first had a meal at Knapp’s in the 1960’s, but I have never written a restaurant review. I will leave that to you.
Joseph Boyle
Eric,
They do have good restaurants. I first tasted Europa dishes when I was co-chair of food for Zoobilee a few years back. Excellent. Pomodoro’s serves great Chicken Marsala, and Manny’s has biscuits and chorizo gravy like their home port Alfred’s. Metro Market offers gelato and prime rib sandwiches!!!!!! I was heart broken when La Fondita closed their doors, however. I loved their mole.
Thanks for thinking of me . . . and food.
Don
Oh that’s funny. Has a nice ring to it. Proctor and Gambke. ?
Proctor and Gamble – I laughed out loud.
In today’s climate that could open them up to a copyright infringement lawsuit. That would put Proctor on the national news. Some advertising gimmick that would be.
Strange name for a teen…..Connect A Brick
Darlene Anselmo,
Actually, the correct name is Connect The Brick. The store was started by a 9 year olld boy in 2009. It is all about the Lego toys which are called bricks.
If you have any kids in your life, such as your own kids, grandkids, great grandkids, neighbor kids, take them to Connect The Brick. Check online for their hours. The kid owner has to go to school and stuff kids do so the store is not open at all hours like stores owned by adults.
The link fo their website is http://connectthebrick.com.
Having said all that, you are not wrong. It is a strange name, but then again neither you nor I are 9 years old.
Joseph Boyle
Proctor & Gamble…… good one!!
BTW, I grew up between Proctor and Westgate business areas, have water view rental property nearby, and now deliberately avoid the area, maybe driving thru once a year. Appreciate the new human warehouses as source for new tenants that come to hate apartment living.
LOL @ “If there is any truth to the rumor that a casino is planned for the Proctor District, Tacoma could change the name to Proctor & Gamble.”
Curious if there are any proctologists in that district….Here in U.P. citizens are concerned about the “Proctor-ization” happening at Town Center, lol.
You mean “The Village at Chambers Bay?”
We’ve already been assigned a new name for our “downtown,” without having been asked for our permission. Town Center is neither a village, nor located at (or on, or near) Chambers Bay. Who is responsible for this renaming? Whole Foods? Our City Fathers? The golf course that’s actually at Chambers Bay?
And now that “The Village at Chambers Bay” has been taken, what will they call any further residential development being proposed around the golf course @Chambers Bay?
After researching Knapp’s Restaurant and Ray Gamble’s, The Gamble Building, the Gamble Building is yet another justification to change the name of the Proctor District to the Proctor & Gamble District. Ray Gamble and his family would be proud.
Just thinking.
Joseph Boyle
I didn’t know that there are any Native American Ancestral Land available to build casinos on?