Yard Birds
Encyclopedia
Yard Birds was originally a surplus store
started in 1947 in Centralia, Washington
. There were also Yard Birds stores in Chehalis
, Olympia
, and Shelton
. While originally selling war surplus, Yard Birds became more of a discount store
with many departments including hardware, toys, shoes and clothing, automotive, pets, sporting goods, furniture, a full-service grocery, and more. Yard Birds stores had a logo that featured a black bird with a yellow beak, reminiscent of the cartoon characters Heckle and Jeckle
.
These stores were not affiliated with Yardbirds Home Center
in Northern California, which used a white stork with yellow overalls as its mascot.
1959 Bill Jones and Rich Gillingham buy an old cannery in Olympia, Washington and start a sister store called Seamart. The Seamart store eventually takes on the Yard Birds name.
1971 A giant new 300000 square feet (27,870.9 m²) store opens in Chehalis, Washington with a 60 feet (18.3 m) tall sculpture of a Yard Bird that is big enough for people to drive their car through.
1976 Pay 'n Save
, a Pacific Northwest drug store chain, buys Yard Birds.
1979 A Yard Birds opens in Shelton, Washington
.
1987 Employees buy out Yard Birds from Pay 'n Save.
1993 Facing growing competition from other retailers, Yard Birds in Olympia closes.
1995 Facing growing competition from other retailers, Yard Birds closes its stores in Chehalis and Shelton.
Surplus store
A surplus store or disposals store sells items that are used, or purchased but unused, and no longer needed. The surplus is often military, government or industrial excess often called army-navy stores in America...
started in 1947 in Centralia, Washington
Centralia, Washington
Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 16,336 at the 2010 census.-History:In pioneer days, Centralia was the halfway stopover point for stagecoaches operating between the Columbia River and Seattle. In 1850, J. G. Cochran came from Missouri with his...
. There were also Yard Birds stores in Chehalis
Chehalis, Washington
Chehalis is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,259 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County.-History:...
, Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
, and Shelton
Shelton, Washington
Shelton is the county seat, of Mason County, Washington, United States. Shelton is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. The population was 9,834 at the 2010 census. In terms of population, the city is ranked 161 out of approximately 500 municipalities in Washington...
. While originally selling war surplus, Yard Birds became more of a discount store
Discount store
A discount store is a type of department store, which sells products at prices lower than those asked by traditional retail outlets. Most discount department stores offer a wide assortment of goods; others specialize in such merchandise as jewelry, electronic equipment, or electrical appliances...
with many departments including hardware, toys, shoes and clothing, automotive, pets, sporting goods, furniture, a full-service grocery, and more. Yard Birds stores had a logo that featured a black bird with a yellow beak, reminiscent of the cartoon characters Heckle and Jeckle
Heckle and Jeckle
Heckle and Jeckle are cartoon characters created by Paul Terry, and released by his own studio, Terrytoons for 20th Century Fox. The characters are a pair of identical magpies who calmly outwitted their foes in the manner of Bugs Bunny, while maintaining a mischievous streak reminiscent of Woody...
.
These stores were not affiliated with Yardbirds Home Center
Yardbirds Home Center
Yardbirds Home Center is a defunct chain of home improvement stores based in Petaluma, California, United States. Their trademark colors were yellow and white. Their mascot was a white buzzard with yellow overalls...
in Northern California, which used a white stork with yellow overalls as its mascot.
History
1947 Two friends, Bill Jones and Rich Gillingham, start Two Yard Birds Surplus in Centralia, Washington. Later that year they move the store to just north of Chehalis, Washington.1959 Bill Jones and Rich Gillingham buy an old cannery in Olympia, Washington and start a sister store called Seamart. The Seamart store eventually takes on the Yard Birds name.
1971 A giant new 300000 square feet (27,870.9 m²) store opens in Chehalis, Washington with a 60 feet (18.3 m) tall sculpture of a Yard Bird that is big enough for people to drive their car through.
1976 Pay 'n Save
Pay 'n Save
Pay 'n Save was a retail company founded by Monte Lafayette Bean in Seattle, Washington; 1940. Over the years, Pay 'n Save was the leading drug store chain in Washington and was the owner several Washington-based retailers including Lamonts and Ernst...
, a Pacific Northwest drug store chain, buys Yard Birds.
1979 A Yard Birds opens in Shelton, Washington
Shelton, Washington
Shelton is the county seat, of Mason County, Washington, United States. Shelton is the westernmost city on Puget Sound. The population was 9,834 at the 2010 census. In terms of population, the city is ranked 161 out of approximately 500 municipalities in Washington...
.
1987 Employees buy out Yard Birds from Pay 'n Save.
1993 Facing growing competition from other retailers, Yard Birds in Olympia closes.
1995 Facing growing competition from other retailers, Yard Birds closes its stores in Chehalis and Shelton.