The E. Burnside-Couch couplet is now open, simplifying this once confusing intersection at NE Sandy, E. Burnside and 12th Avenue. Traffic is now one-way east on Burnside (bottom-right to top-left) and one-way west on Couch (far left). The beloved Tik Tok Drive In is at top-center in this 1939 photo.
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
Does anyone know what that building in the top left corner is (with the huge Coca-Cola billboard)? It sells fitness equipment now, but I’ve always wondered what it was originally used for. Looks like it says PYROIL on the front of the building. Was it a restaurant? That funny little drive-up window in front of it no longer stands today.
Also, I’ve heard that there used to be a huge shoe-shaped building on 20th & Sandy, where Consolidated Federal now stands. I’ve only seen one photo of it before, and I can’t remember which book I saw it in. Have you seen any photos of it before?
Does anyone have pictures of 82 ave and Wygant st back in 1949?
Flappergirl, if you click and embiggen the picture, it appears the PYROIL building was originally a garage and gas station. Notice the gas pumps in front under the canopy.
Ah! Those are gas pumps! I see it now, but I couldn’t figure out what that was at first. Thanks Jim!
So THAT’S how y’all are able to see things in such good detail! Across Sandy from the Tik Tok was another drive-in called Scotty’s. We used to get a burger, fries & a shake for 49cents there in the late 60’s. It was called ‘The 49er’.
I think Gevurtz Furniture is now the Hippo Hardware building. It is too bad that all those houses got torn down. Those are some amazing staircases!
I like this photo for the intimate view into backyards. You don’t get to see the backyards very often in these historic photos. Note how the houses at bottom center all back up into the side yard of another house. Urban crowding was a problem, even back then!
Thanks for this post! My grandpa worked at Tik Toks when it opened and really enjoyed this image. Apparently Mr. Merriot of merriot hotels hired him directly! He also says that the demo-ed building at Sandy and Couch was my great grandfathers church in the early 30’s. Immanuel temple I think.
I am trying to find out who designed and built the Tik Tok. I believe the same person built the Sandy Jug with the same por thole window design.
The Scotty’s mentioned across the street from the Tik Tok had 10 cent burgers in the mid fifties. KISN radio had a radio show there called Scotty’s Party Line.
I believe the radio program at Scotty’s was broadcast by KPOJ . The late Dick Novak
was the disc jockey. The name of the program was “The Rhythm Room”
Don’t forget Portland’s first automatic car wash, It was located at 12th and E. Burnside.
I think it took about 3 minutes and cost was 99 cents. It was owned by Mr. Daskalos
around 1952.