It was money in the bank for the Tri-Cities’ firstborn in 1955.

A first deposit was ready and waiting by the time that first slap came on the bare bottom from the delivery doctor that January day 70 years ago.

The account came courtesy of a small-town custom in those days practiced by a who’s who of merchants supplying Tri-Citians with their needs and wants.

Then, privately-owned businesses were the rule and not the exception in small-town Richland, Pasco and Kennewick. 

Their neighborly warmth established a custom following World War II where the firstborn and their mother received a passel of gifts. In 1955, some 36 area businesses participated in the 8th annual event of pampering mother and child.

Bygone traditions

Nearly all 36 of those businesses are now gone, giving way to changing commercial influences making it difficult for mom-and-pop enterprises to compete with national chain operations. The custom of the community doting on the mother of the year’s firstborn also has given way to memory.

The identity of that mother and firstborn baby of 1955 is lost, but not the record of the generosity of those merchants. 

The baby’s new bank account came from one of the few businesses still operating in the Tri-Cities today, Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association.

“We have a savings account with $1 in it all ready for the first newcomer to the Tri-Cities in 1955,” the banking association noted.

The Tri-City Herald, which continues to operate in Kennewick, gave a three-month subscription. The newspaper published in the afternoon back then, with a Sunday morning edition, though no paper on Saturday. Today, it prints only Wednesday and Sunday editions and is mailed to subscribers.

McVicker’s Jewelers in the Richland Uptown presented a silver sterling teething ring along with free name engraving.

Crown Jewelry in Pasco gave a locket and bracelet, while Door’s Jewelers, then at 316 W. Kennewick Ave., offered the choice of a sterling baby cup, a fork and spoon, or the equivalent of either. Owner Wes Door, a 1943 Kennewick High School graduate and World War II veteran, was a Tri-Cities jeweler for decades.

Crater’s Jewelry near Fourth Avenue and Lewis Street in Pasco offered its own sterling baby spoon, while Stoop’s Jewelry at 9 W. Kennewick Ave. gave a baby cup and ring.

Trios Health’s first baby of 2025 weighed in at 6 pounds, 13 ounces, measuring 20.5 inches long. Baby Cillian was born to Cailyn and Richard at 1:15 p.m. Jan. 1.

| Trios Health

The Pet Haven Pet Store at 202 E. Avenue C in Kennewick presented a bowl of goldfish, a dog harness and a pair of tropical fish or equivalent. The street long identified as Avenue C is now Columbia Drive

Basin Surplus, later Basin Department Store under the same family ownership, took care of linens, providing extra-large bath towels, hand towels and washcloths – two of each. 

The Diamond Stores in uptown and downtown Richland supplied a Beacon brand satin-bound baby blanket, while Hurt’s Apparel in Richland and Kennewick dressed the new mother in a nylon slip.

The Elite Shop for infants, children and maternity wear in downtown Richland provided rayon quilted bunting, while Young Fashions in downtown Kennewick filled a diaper bag need. A new baby blanket came from the 10,000-item inventory of the General Store at 11 W. First Ave. in Kennewick.

Sigman’s market, situated in a large military Quonset building on the southeast corner of First Avenue and Auburn Street in Kennewick, gave two dozen cans of Gerber baby food, as did Nelson’s Store at 214 N. Fourth Ave. in Pasco, owned and operated by longtime Tri-Cities grocer Roy Nelson.

Cog’s Sporting Goods at 114 W. Kennewick Ave. thought of the new dad and provided a picnic jug “for the days father has to batch it alone.”

Automotive gifts

Service stations also supported the growing family.

Town Pumps at Kennewick Avenue and Washington Street offered 5 gallons of gas, as did Paul’s 66 service station at 600 E. Avenue C.

Free lube jobs came from downtown Kennewick stations Scottie’s Chevron; Nevins & Hamblin Associated Service; the Bright Spot; and Royal’s Phillips 66 station. The latter even threw in 10 gallons of gasoline.

Owners of the downtown Pasco Liberty Theater and the Pasco Theater around the corner, along with the Riverview Drive-in, offered a free movie pass.

Apparel cleaning gifts were offered by Ray-D-Ant cleaners in Pasco and Kennewick, and by Spic ’N Span Cleaners in downtown Kennewick. 

Kennewick Flower Shop and Carlson’s Greenhouse, also in Kennewick, showered the new mother with bouquets. Kennewick Flower Shop still does business today, not far from its 1955 downtown location.

Crescent Drug, at two Pasco locations, provided an Evenflo layette package; Sam and Scotty’s Radio Service at 922 W. Lewis St. in Pasco, presented a zipper bag, while Thrifty Drug in downtown Richland and in north Richland supplied mom with a Johnson’s deluxe baby gift box filled with baby cream, powder, oil, lotion, soap and cotton buds.

Other participating merchants with their own array of gifts included Thue’s SelfServ Variety store in downtown Pasco, Ray’s Pharmacy at 708 Symons St. in Richland, Schwarder’s Furniture at 115 N. Fruitland St.  in Kennewick, and Gambles Western Auto Supply in Richland.

The new mom also got a free permanent from Dollie’s Beauty Salon in downtown Kennewick.

Kadlec welcomed its first baby of this year at 8:06 a.m. Jan. 1. Baby Levi, the son of Mitch and Lindsey Skerbeck of Richland, weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20.5 inches. Kadlec noted the Skerbeck family received a gift donated by the Kadlec Auxiliary Gift Shop. 

| Courtesy Kadlec 

Today’s traditions

Though the custom of local businesses showering the new moms and babies with gifts galore is no more, Tri-City hospitals do acknowledge the first baby of the year by sharing the news with media outlets.

Trios Health’s first baby of 2025 weighed in at 6 pounds, 13 ounces, measuring 20.5 inches long. Baby Cillian was born to Cailyn and Richard at 1:15 p.m. Jan. 1. The Kennewick hospital did not release their last name. Trios shared a photo of the newborn atop a blue blanket with the words, “Welcome First Baby of 2025,” stitched in yellow.

Richland’s Kadlec welcomed its first baby of the year at 8:06 a.m. Jan. 1. Baby Levi, the son of Mitch and Lindsey Skerbeck of Richland, weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20.5 inches.

Kadlec noted the Skerbeck family received a gift donated by the Kadlec Auxiliary Gift Shop.