Thanks to one of our followers, Jason Bisig, for sharing the following photographs with us. He recently purchased this 1950s-era combination TV/radio/turntable unit and was curious to learn more about the Tacoma business where it was originally sold, as documented by the still-intact tag.

So far as we have been able to tell, Harold’s Radio & Television went through a number of names and addresses between the late 1940s and early 1960s. They appear in the 1949 and 1951 Tacoma directories at the location on 2716 6th Ave, but under the names “Harold’s Radio Center and Record Den” or “Harold’s Radio Center.” We are missing the 1952 directory, but by 1953 the firm was using the name “Harold’s Radio and Television,” but had also moved to South 63rd. By 1954, it had dropped the “radio” and was listed as Harold’s Television – a sign of the increasing prominence and popularity of televisions as home appliances. The business continued to operate under that name until at least 1963, on South 56th and then on Pacific Ave.

Given the combination of the 6th Ave address, and the “Harold’s Radio and Television” name, we suspect the tag pictured above dates from 1952. However, it is possible that the company’s name changes didn’t exactly correspond with the publication dates of city directories. It is safe to say, however, that the tag pre-dates 1953.

The 1951 Tacoma city directory lists a Harold Gismervig and W.W. Sinquefield as the officers of “Harold’s Radio” at 2716 6th Ave, though whether as co-owners or owner and manager, it does not specify.

Check out this great footage of a very similar Zenith model fully restored: