Historic Langley

1911: Funeral Supplies

Circa 1912. Caskets and Funeral Supplies (Courtesy Douglas McLeod).

Mr. M. L. Strong sold caskets and funeral supplies out of this two-story building on First Street built in 1911. When Strong moved to Coupeville, Walter Hunziker, Sr. and his brother William Oscar ("Bob") ran his business from about 1912 to 1915.

1920's: Doctor's Office and Drug Store

Circa 1930. First Street looking west. Doctor Brewer's office (arrow) next to Tiemeyer's Bakery (Courtesy Karen Pauley).

Doctor Alonzo Orlando Brewer operated a drug store and medical office there in the 1920's and 1930's. According to Fran Johnson, the drug store and doctor's office were in front and the living quarters were in the back and upstairs. "It was dark. There was a long aisle down the middle. The kitchen was in the back, and the bedrooms and living room were upstairs."

1929. Dr. Brewer's "Drugs" (arrow) on Sanborn Insurance map (Courtesy South Whidbey Historical Society).

Circa 1940: Drake's Trading Post

Circa 1944/45. Karl Drake's "Trading Post" (arrow) (Courtesy John Ball).

When Doctor Brewer built the drug store across the street in 1938 and moved his office and living quarters there, the building was sold to Karl Drake who ran a Linoleum and Furniture business named the "Trading Post." The front of the building was extended to the sidewalk and an addition was added along the east side.

An addition was also added to the south side facing the alley to accommodate rolls of linoleum.

Circa 1945. Addition (arrow) on the south end of Drake's (Courtesy South Whidbey Historical Society).

A new facade was added across the front of the building.

Circa 1952. Carl Drake's "Trading Post" (Courtesy John Ball).

Circa 1955. Carl Drake's "Trading Post" (Courtesy John Ball).

The Drake family was devastated when their son Delbert was killed in Korea in 1953. Karl Drake sold the building in 1959 to the Mahans who ran a furniture store and gift shop. They added a fancy decoration to the facade of the original building.

1961.Mahan's House of Furniture and Gifts (Courtesy Darrell Corbin).

Circa 1974. Addition (arrow) on South end of the building (Courtesy South Whidbey Historical Society).

1980: Island Design

2004. Island Design (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

Linda Lundgren purchased the building from the Mahans in 1980 and moved her Island Design business from the building across the street. The facade was changed, and a B&B, the Garden Path Inn, was added upstairs.

According to Louise Prewitt, "When Linda moved across the street after buying the Mahon's furniture store to house her Island Design business, she and her dad did all the carpentry work, inside and out, to remodel the store and put in the B&B. The back section of that store was used by Linda's sister who offered for sale a high end Jones of New York clothing business. When Christine left to go to Edmonds, Cynthia Tilkin came in with Hemperly & Babbage, the first of her design businesses. When people would say they were working with Island Design, the question that always followed was with Linda or Cynthia? they weren't partners."

Circa 1978. Christin's (Courtesy Langley City Hall).

1980's. Hemperly &Babbage Designs LTD. (Courtesy Langley City Hall).

2007. Island Design with new faced (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

Bob Grossman added a new facade on the north side in 1987, and a pergola along the East side in 1988.

Debra Campbell operated "Debra Campbell Design" there briefly, then Island Stone and Tile store.

2017. Island Stone and Tile (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

2018: Edit

Designer and artist, David Price , moved into the south end of the building, and his wife, Holly, moved the Edit Mercantile into the front.

2018. Southeast corner of the building (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

2018. Edit Mercantile (Courtesy Robert Waterman).