By LESLIE PUGMIRE
Seaside Signal Staff
Once upon a time the King of Broadway ruled his empire from the seat of his trusty tricycle. Up and down the sandy
concrete sidewalks he would pedal, stopping to visit with his most favorite subjects and graciously accept their
gifts.
“It was great,” recalled Peter Ter Har. “I got free fudge and candy along with attention from all the merchants.”
His mother, Jean, fondly remembers those early days when the family lived behind their business and Broadway was
their children’s backyard.
By the end of September the Ter Har’s clothing store at 27 Broadway in its well-recognized black and white building
will exist no longer. “It will be hard,” said Jean Ter Har, “I’ve spent more time in this building than I have
in my own home.”
The original store building, owned by the Ter Har family since 1951, and the three adjoining businesses (Tipton’s
Gourmet Chocolates, Windancer Kite Shop and Ter Har’s Clothing for Men), will be torn down to make room for construction
of the retail area being incorporated into the Trendwest timeshare resort. All three businesses will be reopening
in the new space next summer.
Tracing the Ter Har family’s involvement in the soon-to-be demolished building on Broadway means going back 50
years. The building itself goes back much father.
In 1906 the site contained a three-story hotel called Merriman’s and a small gift shop fronting Broadway. The building
sat next to the Oates Natatorium and held 15 small bed-and-breakfast type rooms.
In the early 50s Bud and Jean Ter Har both worked as sales representatives for a Seattle-based giftware company.
Merriman’s was in their territory and when they heard that the owner was putting it up for sale they made an offer.
“I thought I’d be at the beach everyday (if I moved to Seaside),” said Jean Ter Har. It was a year before the couple’s
offer was accepted, so in May 1951 Ter Har’s Gift Shop was opened.
The hotel continued to operate for a couple more years under the existing management.
“Dad worked for a car agency and a furnace company those first few years while the business was getting underway,”
said Peter.
After awhile the Ter Hars decided to convert the gift shop into clothing and took over the hotel, living in an
apartment in the back of the store.
“We were one of the only businesses on this block to stay open all winter,” said Bud. “And in the summer we stayed
open at night until the last person was off the street.”
Jean ran the clothing store in the early years while Bud supplemented the business income with outside work. The
boys, Peter and Jeff, grew up among the clothing racks and cash registers.
“We had a Dutch door where the apartment began,” Jean recalled. “ I could keep my eye on them in there. It was
like a giant playpen.”
When Peter was eight and Jeff was two the family finally moved out of the store into a home in Gearhart. Through
the ensuing years the family closed the hotel, sheared a floor off the building in a remodel striving for a more
retail appearance and expanded the interior.
In the 1970s the empty lot to the west that had been the site of the Natatorium was leased by the family as a parking
lot. Eventually the city of Seaside took over the lease of the area that will now include an eight-story resort.
When the early 1980s saw an upswing in business for Seaside the Ter Hars built three retail spaces adjacent to
the clothing store.
They have also invested in several other retail buildings in the community and opened additional Ter Har’s shops
in Long Beach and Cannon Beach.
“We really believe in Seaside,” said Bud. “Through the years we have reinvested in the community by opening businesses,
providing jobs and improving retail space we own.”
“Yeah, some people invest in the stock market — this is our stock,” laughed Jeff, pointing to racks of clothing.
In the 50 years since the Ter Har family has made the North Coast their home, they have been heavily involved in
the community in addition to running their various businesses.
Bud, Peter and Jeff have all served as president of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce and individually they (and
Jean) have served on school boards, community organizations and city councils.
Peter and Jeff were founding members of the Seaside Downtown Development Association, another business organization.
Through the decades the entire family has entered the family business, beginning with the boys who grew up there,
their wives D’Lorah and Paivi, and now their children. All seven Ter Har grandchildren have put in their time behind
the big black counter.
Trendwest Resorts first approached the Ter Hars about their property about two years ago and were turned down,
Bud said.
Since that time the family has had numerous dealings with the international corporation and now lauds its honesty
and professionalism.
The family was fully involved in the planning and design of the new retail space, which will incorporate the three
existing businesses as well as space for four others.
When it is completed in June 2002 Ter Har’s clothing will be situated slightly farther east than its current location.
With 18-foot ceilings and 5,000 square feet the store will retain its classic black and white design. The men’s
and women’s clothing departments will utilize two street entrances and the same floor space.
Before tear-down the family and staff were busy transferring stock to the two other stores as well as preparing
the stock that will be taken to the space the family has leased on Broadway next to Harrison’s Bakery.
They plan on continuing operation at that location, selling clearance items for an undetermined amount of time.
George Tipton of Tipton’s Gourmet Chocolates said he and his wife plan on taking the nine months off while waiting
for the new store space.
“We will travel and hit some gift and candy shows (for buyers) around the country.” When they return, they will
have a new space waiting, next to the Prom. “This way we get to do right everything we did wrong last time,” Tipton
said, referring to the store design changes the move will allow.
The manager of Seaside’s Windancer Kite Store said that the business will continue operations from its interim
location in Heritage Square on N. Columbia until next summer.
“We’ll be back on Broadway next year,” she added.
Losing the old building and moving stock has has prompted a jaunt down memory lane for all Ter Har family members.
“It’s been tough going through 50 years worth of stuff from the store rooms,” said Jeff. “Ter Hars never throw
away anything.”
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