For many years in western Washington, Yard Birds was a community institution, a local gathering space, and a regional landmark. The giant surplus store originally began in 1947 in Chehalis, and later expanded with another location in Olympia as well. For many years it was an extremely innovative and successful local business that treated both their workers and customers very well.
Before the stores were eventually shuttered several years ago, Yard Birds was a thriving family-owned business who practiced profit-sharing among their many workers, and invested heavily into the local community. This was back in the day, years before Walmart and Home Despot moved into the area, and eventually helped to put most independent locally owned stores out of business.
The discount retail business was started by two friends who originally began by selling war surplus goods; over time Yard Birds grew and evolved into one of the first outlet types stores who sold almost everything, including hardware, toys, shoes, clothing, coffins, plants, automotive, guns, heavy equipment, pets, sporting goods, furniture, groceries and more.
One of the most memorable things about Yard Birds was their giant goofy bird mascot. Scores of human-sized black bird sculptures with yellow beaks were strategically placed all along the interstate to promote the store, and two massive Yard Birds were constructed for the original Chehalis location. One of the large birds also functioned as a helicopter hanger.
The giant Yard Birds became cultural landmarks as they welcomed each customer, and graced the entrance to the general store with their unique and distinctive presence. Sadly, the massive upright Yard Bird was destroyed decades ago in a fire, but the huge nesting Yard Bird sculpture still exists. However, the aging public artwork is now greatly in need of extensive repair.
One of the people helping to raise money to repair the landmark, Jason Mattson, recently explained to me what is needed to save the beloved public sculpture:
“The damage is pretty extensive. So far, its looking like most of the back half will need to be reconstructed. The frame is wood, which sadly has began to rot. It’s 40 years old, so its held up pretty well considering. We’re considering coating it with a Line-X like material instead of the fiberglass that it was originally coated with, but we’ll see…
In case you didn’t know it was originally a helicopter hanger for the owner of Yard Birds, so it was built hollow for this reason. Last fall we braced it up from the inside so it would last the winter ( I don’t think it would have otherwise).”
The inside of the damaged Yard Bird, now in need of major repairs.
Birdfest: Coming Together to Save the Yard Bird
In two weeks on June 25th, Birdfest is planned, a fundraising event to help rebuild the sculpture. The festival lasts from noon until 10 pm, and promises to be a family friendly event. Birdfest will be held at the original Yard Birds store, at 2100 North National Avenue in Chehalis. It will feature several local bands during the early part of the day; then later in the evening members of the Kingsmen and The Ventures will perform, playing classics like “Tequila”, “Louie Louie” and many more.
Birdfest will have lots of food, activities for kids, local vendors, bouncy castles and many other festivities. At the end of the day there will also be a raffle for a guitar signed by the performers and donated by the Ventures/Wilson Brothers Guitar Company. Official radio support will be Rocket 107 and KELA. All day passes are just $12.00 at the gate or buy pre-sale tickets for only $10 at Shop n’ Kart in Chehalis or Shankz Mini Golf in Olympia.
Birdfest promises to be a wonderful community event, much akin to a weekend shopping adventure visit to the old Yard Birds store, back in the day. Hopefully the fund-raising festival will help the western Washington community come together in order to restore the remaining Yard Bird icon to her former glory. She is one of the only remaining vestiges of a very different economic era in this country, when unique independent locally owned business thrived, and all workers were truly valued and respected.
Yard Birds: The Movie
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Yard Birds, there is an excellent documentary about it entitled: “Skinny and Fatty: The Story of Yard Birds“. The film details how Yard Birds came into being, as well as the community who helped create the unique and festive local retail stores.