For many, this photo won’t do justice to their recollections of Mrs. Lofthus’ store at the intersection of Porter Street and Wilson Avenue, one block north of Dwight Garrett Park, the former site of Enumclaw High School and later Enumclaw Junior High. But what the picture lacks in clarity is easily made up by memories of the sweet Norwegian lady who ran a popular corner store.
Last week’s column featured Louie Anderson’s Confectionary which stood on this same site before Erling and Karlotte Lofthus built their 900-square-foot building. The front half was a tiny store with the back half used as a stock room, a bathroom, and a break room by the owners. The structure was built in 1947 by Earl Lofthus who worked at the White River Lumber Company in their dry kiln and shipping division. The Lofthus family lived at 1215 Davis Street in a home built earlier by Earl. Each day, his wife Karlotte made the three-block walk to work.
Erling Lofthus and Karlotte Kippersund were born in 1902 and 1904, in Hetlund and Bud, Norway, respectively. Their home towns were nearly 400 miles apart. They likely met in Stavenger and immigrated to America in 1929, sailing on the same ship. Like millions, they were processed through Ellis Island. They moved to Enumclaw the same year. Earl gained employment at the mill while Karlotte worked in a bakery. They married in 1931 and set down roots. Their one son Leonard earned his accounting degree from the University of Washington, and became a C.P.A. He operated his business in San Diego before retiring to Palm Springs, and a home on Lake Tapps with his wife, Sharon (Hawthorne). Leonard helped his mother run the store during the 1950s and 60s.
The Lofthus Confectionary, as it was first known, catered to students who attended the nearby three-story school. In a typical year, the school hosted a combined population of over 700 students, teachers, and staff. Mrs. Lofthus’ or the little store, as many students called it carried candy, pop, sweets, canned goods, and groceries that appealed to nearby residents. The store operated until about 1970, but like many small neighborhood shops, they couldn’t compete with supermarkets’ low prices or the convenience of gas station mini-marts.
In the era before the widespread use of credit cards, Mrs. Lofthus allowed good customers to run a tab, especially if they were living paycheck to paycheck. Even teenagers with a job were trusted with a tab. Doug Walthers, who lived nearby and had a paper route, received his first charge account, and continued to use it until the store closed.
After closing the store, Mrs. Lofthus worked as a foster grandmother at Rainier School for more than 20 years. Earl Lofthus died in 1965 at age 63, and Karlotte survived him by 30 years passing away in 1995, at age 90. She regularly attended the nearby Trinity Lutheran and when she died funds from her estate were dedicated to a new roof on the church.
The property passed to her son, Leonard, who sold the property in 2004 to a builder. Today, a yellow two-story home at 3004 Porter Street occupies the lot where first Anderson’s Confectionary and later the Lofthus store once sold candy, sodas, and ice cream to students from that grand brick building torn down in 1986. The only remnants today being two tennis courts.
This Jan. 17, 1949 King County Assessor photo of tax parcel 570650-0025 comes courtesy of the Puget Sound Regional Archives on the campus of Bellevue College. Photo enhancements to remove Assessor notes and improve the image quality were undertaken by Doug “Boomer” Burnham, a Tahoma High School photography teacher. Doug’s private business is Boomers Photography which specializes in senior photos, sports pictures, team posters, and family portraits, at www.BoomersPhotography.com
Information about Earl and Karlotte Lofthus and their store was obtained from a granddaughter, Melissa (Lofthus) Hart of Bonney Lake; Doug Walthers who operates Walthers’ Honey Farm in Enumclaw; and Donna Brathovde, an amateur family historian who does genealogical research and lives in Ravensdale
