Examples of 7-Digit dialing in & around Seattle WA

[Westrex]

Hey everyone,

Since 7-digit tel. numbers have largely disappeared, I decided to document some of the examples (mostly on signs) from around town. I'll try to find more examples of signs later.

Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel (still with the SUnset4 prefix): http://tinyurl.com/mwy5zthh
Georgia's Greek Deli: http://tinyurl.com/4a48mt5z
Bon Ton Cleaners: http://tinyurl.com/ycy6vxnv
Golden City Chinese Restaurant: http://tinyurl.com/4u4xazkx
Lock & Key place @ 2220 NW Market St, Seattle, WA (photo attached)
Espresso Dental: http://tinyurl.com/2s4fufes
Beacon Hill Dental Associates: http://tinyurl.com/3mf49hzx
Fortune Garden: http://tinyurl.com/59yctzvt
Jade Gardens: http://tinyurl.com/a4zpufu9
Chiang's Gourmet Chinese Food: http://tinyurl.com/3kd2w6te
Plywood Supply: http://tinyurl.com/yu5fdxwu

Another place to find 7-digit phone numbers are the "No parking, tow-away" signs that read the phone number "684-5444", here's an image: http://tinyurl.com/23ucf8s3

[SUnset2]

A classic one is Reed Wright Plumbing and Electric, 2209 Queen Anne Ave, AT 3-1234.
Link: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6386703,-122.3569682,3a,24.3y,29.01h,92.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su4_TItPkLVUC7u3GdfX0Dw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

You list Plywood Supply, with the giant dial on the sign.  It actually made more sense in the six digit dialing days.  Their number in the old system spelled out PLYWOO.
(Source: 1954 Seattle Telephone Directory)

[SUnset2]

By the 1960s, Plywood Supply moved further North, from Lake City to Kenmore.  By then the PLaza exchange had become LAkeview 5.  But Kenmore was in General Telephone territory, so they had to get a Bothell (HUnter 6) number.  It looks like they also maintained a Foreign Exchange number for the customers for whom Bothell was long distance.

You have a link to a photo of Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel with the SUnset 4-1234 sign, I am attaching a photo of a ruler from Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel with the previous six digit number (DExter 1234).

By the way, you can tell by the barrel on the roof that Chiang's Gourmet was originally a Triple-XXX Root Beer.

[Kellogg Kitt]

What a shame that they had to lose the "PLYWOO(D)" number.  I am sure they were not happy about that!

[Westrex]

Here are a few more examples of 7-digit dialing from around town. Also apparently, the old headquarters of Pacific Northwest Bell at 1600 7th Avenue still has the Bell System logo on it.

- Pacific Northwest Bell Building Side: http://tinyurl.com/mwn4p7jn
- Spiro's Pizza: http://tinyurl.com/548w23rw
- Texas Style Smoked B.B.Q: http://tinyurl.com/3hmkc7f4
- The Furniture Guy (sign is for the dry cleaners that probably used to occupy the building): http://tinyurl.com/mpbta793, Tel: 362-1318
- Chada Thai: http://tinyurl.com/3pb5ehrv
- Ichi Roll Wok & Teriyaki: http://tinyurl.com/3pb5ehrv
- Michannes Salon: http://tinyurl.com/3pb5ehrv
- Quality Tax Services: http://tinyurl.com/3s6pvn4f

[Westrex]

A few more examples:

Pho Vietnam: http://tinyurl.com/29ekjb4v
European Import Auto Repair: http://tinyurl.com/y3h29ywd
Mac's Custom Upholstery: http://tinyurl.com/rpkr6c9j
Good Guys Pizza sign (now replaced with another pizza place): http://tinyurl.com/mpkyrehs
Aurora Auto Repair: http://tinyurl.com/2mk59uce
A Handy Andy Truck: http://tinyurl.com/mu5jnuey

[Westrex]

More signs and examples:

Used Tire & Wheel Company: http://tinyurl.com/2mrhekt8
D & D Brakes: http://tinyurl.com/5943w94z
Andy's Auto Repair: http://tinyurl.com/95n55vvu
Allstate Insurance: http://tinyurl.com/524sam59
Import Service Center: http://tinyurl.com/yc776kpv

[SUnset2]

You will notice as you made your journey South on Aurora Avenue (Highway 99), you started out in the EMerson exchange, with numbers starting with 36.  You then moved into an area served by the SUnset exchange, with numbers starting with 78.  The one shop with a LAkeview (522) number is something of an anomaly, as LAkeview numbers start a few blocks East of there.  They may have moved and kept their old number. 

If you continued further south past the zoo, you would be in the area served by the MElrose exchange, and the numbers would start with 63.
There aren't as many signs between the zoo and the Aurora Bridge, but here is an example:
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6607007,-122.3474403,3a,35.2y,330.27h,95.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAGKThp6dxVQasPJPDZiEKw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

I am attaching some screen captures for reference.

[Westrex]

Examples from across Seattle:

Wardrobe Cleaners: http://tinyurl.com/3by6ym7a
West Seattle Brakes: http://tinyurl.com/y5h47dxt
Tom's Automotive: http://tinyurl.com/m3ut4axd
Fat City Auto: http://tinyurl.com/3hrne552
Shiga's Imports: http://tinyurl.com/382daa44
Aker's Porsche: http://tinyurl.com/bdf9z63m

[Stormcrash]

You'll find a ton of 7 digit signs in Seattle because it was one of the last major cities to still have 7 digit dialing, 10 digit only became required in 2017 in preparation for an area code overlay, 654, that's progressively being overlaid to all western Washington area codes. But 564 was only actually approved for activation in 206 last year ahead of a predicted 2025 exhaustion so even after the 10D switch the area code was always 206 until ether very recently or very soon (can't quite tell if they've started issuing 564 numbers in 206 yet or not)

[Westrex]

But 564 was only actually approved for activation in 206 last year ahead of a predicted 2025 exhaustion so even after the 10D switch the area code was always 206 until ether very recently or very soon (can't quite tell if they've started issuing 564 numbers in 206 yet or not)

I hope they won't run out of the numbers with the classic 206 area code.

Here's the list of area codes for Washington:

206 - 1947
509 - 1956
425 - 1997
253 - 1997
360 - 1995
564 - (Not deployed yet)

[Westrex]

Here's 2 examples of signs with the two letter-5 number arrangement.

Mondo Meats: http://tinyurl.com/mu2wkw53 Tel: PArkway 5-1565

Truevalue Hardware (Greenwood): http://tinyurl.com/ax2v7utv Tel: SUnset 3-2900

[Westrex]

Here's 2 examples of signs with the two letter-5 number arrangement.

Mondo Meats: http://tinyurl.com/mu2wkw53 Tel: PArkway 5-1565

Truevalue Hardware (Greenwood): http://tinyurl.com/ax2v7utv Tel: SUnset 3-2900

Correction: Mondo's Meats is no longer at the location listed, however their sign is still there. The business that's currently there doesn't share the same phone number.