Rucker’s Coffee Cup was a well-known landmark on the southwest corner of SW Broadway at Stark Street in the 1950s. Here we see two photos showing its location directly across Broadway from the Imperial Hotel (now Hotel Lucia) and across Stark from the Oregon Hotel and the Benson Hotel. The Oregon Hotel came down in 1959 to make way for an extension of the Benson. Thanks to VP fan Meredith Kreifels for sending these photos.
(Meredith Kreifels)
(Meredith Kreifels)
Vintage Portland 
Great photos. Thanks.
Any kid in the 1940’s-’50’s who wasn’t fascinated by the Rucker sign with steam coming out of the cup probably never went to the old Liberty Theatre just South on Broadway. It was always a “curiosity ” to an inquisitive youngster on how they got the steam into that sign !!! Great pictures and an instant flashback to a great time on old ” Theatre Row “, Jolly Joan’s restaurant, Union Pacific Downtown Ticket Office, Monte Ballou’s Castle Jazz Band @ The Diamond Horseshoe Club which was on the 2nd floor of the same building as Rucker’s ( I believe one corner is visible in the pictures), etc., etc.
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Steam? Nice!
Ahhh…..Jolly Joan’s. Good food, low prices, booths with those little jukebox-style coin-operated music players. As a kid it was always a treat to eat there.
The third picture from the bottom at the link below provides a view of Rucker’s in context with the old Liberty Theater. If you look closely, you can see the steam eminating from the coffee cup sign.
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/portland_theaters.html
I used to go to the Bob White Theater in the 50’s for saturday matinees – along with hundreds of other Baby Boomers. 2 feature films, cartoons, and newsreels for 25 cents!
In the 1950s I saw both “Singing in the Rain” and “Around the World in Eighty Days” at first-run downtown Portland theaters, and I wish I could remember which theater(s). Does anyone happen to know?
Arthur and Luella Rucker lived at 4041 SE Ankeny in Portland. There was also a “Gertrude Rucker who lived at the same address. She was a “sten” for the Hershey Chocolate Corporation which was out at 15th & Kearney. Totally useless information.
Was this the Bonfire restaurant in the E 70’s?
Right next door to the Coffee Cup was the Liberty Theater. The coffee cup has steam coming out upinto the air in the early to middle 1950’s
Where did the steam go after the middle 1950’s ?
Yes, the Bon Fire was on the Northwest corner of SW Broadway and Washington Street, then further east along SW Washington Street, next to the Bon Fire restaurant was Sherman-Clay music store, then Ireland’s restaurant, then Dorcas Florists. Rich’s Cigar store was on the northwest corner of SW 6th and Washington, along with Weisfield’s Jewlery store on the southwest corner of SW 6th and Washington, Bedell’s department store on the northwest corner of 6th and Alder and the old Oregonian Building on the northeast corner of SW 6th and Alder Street
How can I get a copy of the photos in this e-mail?
Thanks, Sharon Cowley
Jim, your link also has a shot of the number man standing on the corner near the theater. He sure get around town.
Graeper’s Egyptian Theatre on Union Avenue near Russell Street, circa 1925, opened in 1924. It closed in 1963.
Jim, your link also has a shot of the number man standing on the corner near the theater. He sure gets around town.
Graeper’s Egyptian Theatre on Union Avenue near Russell Street, circa 1925, opened in 1924. It closed in 1963.
Jim, I would love to have copies of all of the photos, plus ad. Rucker’s Coffe Cup belonged to my husband’s grandparents. We have always wanted a photo. Thank you for finding this.
Hi Barb. Maybe your husband and myself and sister Kathy are cousins as Arthur and Luella Rucker were our grandparents.
Yes, Rucker’s Coffee Cup was always a favorite of my group, after going to the Liberty Theater. The southwest corner of SW Broadway Street had Larry Hillaire’s Restaurant and the Bon Fire Restaurant was on the northwest corner of SW Broadway, with Sherman Clay Music Store just to the east and Ireland’s Restaurant again, just to the east of the intersection of SW Broadway and SW Washington Streets. I would love to hear from anyone with any more details about that area, especially along SW Broadway Street during the 1950-1975’s
I submitted those photos years ago! I passed by them on our mantel tonight and thought about doing a little more research about the pictures. I came upon this feed and have really enjoyed the comments. From what I know, one of the owners was a cousin of my grandpa.