Built in 1901, this building historically served as a single family home. But, as the neighborhood changed, so did the house. In 1954, Manuel Barron bought the building and opened a barbershop and social club. Barron’s Barbershop became a neighborhood hub for news among Latinos in South Seattle. The Hispanic American Social Club used the same address but little is known about the club.
In the 1950s, south end neighborhoods were where the burgeoning Latino community began to establish a presence, thanks to affordable real estate and businesses which catered to them. The Airport Way Market (6249 Airport Way South) offered Mexican foods such as pan dulce and chorizo (sweet bread and sausage), products that came mostly from Zillah, Washington. Other evidence of an emerging Latino presence in South Seattle included El Jacalito Tavern (833 Rainier Ave S), the Taco House (1505 1st Ave), and a growing number of retail and service establishments that advertised in Spanish.
