G. O. Guy
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pharmacy, retail |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Founder | George Omar Guy |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Fate | Acquired by Pay 'n Save; stores rebranded |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | Seattle metropolitan area |
| Products | Pharmaceuticals, retail goods |
G.O. Guy was a regional chain of drugstores operating in the Seattle metropolitan area of Washington. Established in 1888 by George Omar Guy, it became the second largest drugstore chain in Seattle during the early 1900s, trailing only Bartell Drugs and having been founded two years earlier than that competitor. In 1987, all six G.O. Guy locations were acquired by Pay 'n Save, which rebranded most as Pay 'n Save express stores—smaller than their full-service counterparts. Subsequently, Pay 'n Save was purchased by Thrifty PayLess, which itself was later acquired by Rite Aid.
Initial store location
While many contemporary references place the original G.O. Guy store within the H. K. Owens / Metropole Building at Second Avenue and Yesler Way,[1][2] period documents clarify that George Guy’s first pharmacy was actually situated roughly two blocks south, at Occidental Avenue and Main Street. For instance, his obituary dated January 31, 1927, published in the Seattle Daily Times, states:
- Mr. Guy began his drug business on the corner of Occidental Avenue and Main Street. After the Great Fire of 1889 destroyed his premises, he reopened operations in a tent at First Avenue and Main Street and by 1893 had established a permanent location at Second Avenue and Yesler Way, where the drug company’s site remained.[3]
An article from The Seattle Times in 1934 further elaborates on the years following the fire:
- Guy prioritized salvaging his medicine supplies and set up a first-aid tent headquarters where he operated until a wooden structure was completed at Fourth Avenue and Main Street... He later relocated to First Avenue and Main Street before moving to Second Avenue and Yesler Way in 1893, where the store continued to operate.[4]
1901 shootout at Second and Yesler
Template:Further information The G.O. Guy pharmacy located at Second Avenue and Yesler Way became notorious for a violent confrontation in 1901.[1] [2] [5]
At that time, Seattle Police Chief William L. Meredith had been dismissed amid allegations of corruption related to his conflict with John Considine, proprietor of the People's Theater—a "box house" venue providing light entertainment such as magic shows, singing, dancing, and minstrel shows alongside illicit sexual services. This dispute ultimately forced Meredith to resign under pressure.[2][5]
Following his termination, Meredith sought retaliation against Considine. During a brief altercation lasting approximately ninety seconds, Meredith fired several erratic shots before Tom Considine—John’s brother—disarmed him by striking him with a firearm used as a club to fracture Meredith’s skull; John Considine then fatally shot Meredith in the chest. The Considine brothers were eventually acquitted of any wrongdoing in connection with the incident.[2][5][6]
Locations
The following list highlights various sites associated with the company, including but not restricted to:
- The intersection of Second Avenue and Yesler Way
- 725 3rd Avenue, also noted as the corner of 3rd Avenue and Columbia
- 1401 3rd Avenue within the Mann Building, located at the junction of 3rd Avenue and Union, directly across from the post office
- 406 Broadway East, alternatively referenced as the corner of Broadway and Harrison or as 406 North Broadway
- 4501 University Way
- 4700 California Avenue SW
- 2238 Market Street
- 4002 Roosevelt Way
- 518 Queen Anne Avenue
- 1928 3rd Avenue, situated in the Security Market Building at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Virginia Street
- 1024 Madison Street
- 4002 10th Ave NE, positioned near the northern end of University Bridge
- 4727 California Avenue SW
- 427 2nd Avenue South
- 3600 South Village Mall
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBartley - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedneighborhoods - ↑ "G.O. Guy, Veteran, Druggist, Succumbs", Seattle Daily Times, 31 January 1927, p.3.
- ↑ "Guy Stores Celebrate Soda's Birth", Seattle Daily Times, 31 May 1935, p.12.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMcRoberts - ↑ Murray Morgan, Skid Road, Ballantine Books (1960). Chapter III: "John Considine and the Box-Houses, 1893–1910"