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Ben Paris was a well-known Seattleite whose namesake store was a destination for area sportsmen. He married Florence Alma Conner in 1916, and worked as an ironworker until he was injured on a job in St. Louis. After returning to Seattle, he served as the first representative for Local 302 of the National Union of Steam Engineers of America. He then borrowed $500 from his brother Jack to open a pool hall on Admiral Way, which was soon followed by another in Auburn. He eventually opened a business that became a downtown Seattle landmark, a combination of restaurant, bar, sporting goods store, and pool hall. The store (along with the Seattle Star newspaper) also sponsored the area's first fishing derby beginning in 1931, reportedly motivated by Paris's desire to sell more fishing rods.