Lorraine Fujii and Deanna Alices were hired long before "casual Friday" was a part of Downtown office culture. They were hired even before "aloha Friday" attire was allowed.

Each has been with Grant Thornton for 50 years, though neither looks old enough for that kind of history. Alices started at the accounting firm as a receptionist when she was 20 years old. Fujii was 19 and in business school when she was hired as a general office worker in 1958.

Back then, the company was called Alexander Grant. The office was in the old Gas Co. building where Executive Center now stands on the corner of Bishop and Hotel. The firm moved offices several times before settling into the penthouse of 1132 Bishop. At one point, the office was in the old Alexander Young building, which is now Bishop Square.

"We cried when the Alexander Young building came down," Alices said.

"We miss the bakery they had there," Fujii said.

Downtown in the 1960s was full of dress shops, like Ritz and Ethel's and McInerny. Kress store and Woolworth had lunch counters.

"Woolworth's had the best roast beef sandwiches," Alices remembered.

Office workers dressed more formally then, men in ties, women in blazers and skirts. When "aloha Friday" came around, permission had to come from the national office before mu'u mu'u were OK.

The two women have been on the front line of huge changes in information technology, from the days of carbon copies to ditto machines, Thermofax and finally, Xerox copiers.

"We used to have to type everything with carbon paper," Fujii said. "The white copy was for correspondence, the yellow copy was to review, the pink copy was for work and the blue copy went to the national office."

"I wonder what they did with all those blue copies?" Alices joked.

Alices is now the office manager; Fujii is executive assistant. When they first started, women didn't have many career opportunities beyond secretary or teacher; but when asked what their dream jobs might have been given a wider range of choices, both say they wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

"I enjoy my job," Fujii said.

"I was grateful to get the job I got," Alices said. "People today don't have that kind of appreciation. They're always kind of looking around."

At this point, neither is interested in retiring. "As long as they let us come through the front door, we'll be here," Alices said, and Fujii nodded in happy agreement.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.