The Ubiquity Of The Trader In 1955 San Francisco

This has always been interesting to me. By the time Trader Vic's was properly established in SF, after 15+ years of popularity over in Oakland, the name "Trader" was in serious use. From the 1955 directory:

Trader J J
Trader Vic's
Trader's Village
Traders Distributing Co.
Trad'r Liquor Store
Trad'r Sams

I've tried for years but have never been able to dig anything up on Trader J J or Trader's Village past the info above, sadly.

good find

good find

Of course Trad'r Sam predates Trader Vic's -- so who was copying who?

IIRC, Trad'r Sam's was 1937 and Vic changed Hinky Dinks to Trader Vic's in 1938. Given that Vic's whole raison d'être was "build a better mousetrap" than Don The Beachcomber had, I've no doubt that he would be willing to assimilate a name as well as a business model.