Sea Mart, one of Olympia’s most unique stores, opened in 1959. Part of Chehalis-based Yard Birds, it reused Olympia Canning Company buildings, giving new life to the downtown waterfront.
Opening Sea Mart
Olympia lost one of its largest industries when the Olympia Canning Company closed in 1956. Founded in 1912, the business left a three-block complex of buildings behind. Just what would happen to them?
A group of six brothers came up with an idea: a modern shopping center. They believed that downtown was the perfect place to build a destination store that could attract people from the expanding post-war suburbs and as far away as Fort Lewis.
Buying cannery’s property in December 1958, the Weiks brothers added another block by purchasing the former Washington Co-operative Farmers Association building (402 North Capitol Way). They tore the Association building down for parking.
The Weiks decided to name their new shopping center Sea Mart. Close to the waterfront, the outside of the drab cannery was transformed with colorful murals, by local artist Bing Orr, depicting pirates and undersea creatures like octopuses and fish.
Sea Mart’s mascot was a peg-legged pirate with an eyepatch slicing a dollar bill with his sword. The store’s slogan was, “Compare and Save.”
Sea Mart was part of Yard Birds, a chain of department stores founded by childhood friends Bill Jones and Rich Gillingham in Chehalis. Starting out as a military surplus store, its mascot was a crow – or yard bird – with yellow feet and beak, often portrayed as greeting people with a cheerful, “Hello Dere!”
After extensive remodeling, Sea Mart officially opened its doors on August 13, 1959, in one the cannery buildings. It later expanded across the street. Yard Birds handled the department store section, selling everything from clothing, shoes and sporting goods to appliances, electronics, hardware and tools. Sea Mart offered a pharmacy, bakery, candy counter and supermarket. There was also a restaurant. Outside, kids could enjoy coin-operated rides.
Olympia’s Sea Mart Changes Over the Years
While the store changed over time, it continued to offer excellent service and low prices. The supermarket and meat section were originally managed by brothers Roy and Art Weiks. The supermarket was later taken over by other companies, including Mark and Pak and Storman’s Discount Foods.
Sea Mart’s founders wanted their store to be a destination and established an adjoining restaurant. It served food all day, including breakfast. During the early years their seafood came from the short-lived Sea Mart Fish Market.
Sea Mart Cafe opened a few weeks after the rest of the store because of delays in furnishing orders and was first operated by Chef Arnold Ball and his wife Shirley. It reopened in 1972 under the management of Don and Sharon Estabrook, who also operated a snack bar. Popcorn was always available for shoppers. Many remember how its aroma filled the store.
The Rib Eye chain assumed management of the restaurant in 1973, renaming it Sea Mart Rib Eye. Sam and Pam Pellegrino bought the restaurant in 1980. Their Harborside Family Restaurant was later renamed Pellegrino’s Harborside & Italian Deli.
The store was also known for its large toy section, which other local stores did not have. It therefore was not surprising that Santa Claus visited every year to talk to children. But Sea Mart Santa was different. He came by helicopter.
As crowds of eager children watched, Santa’s helicopter landed on the roof. Helped to the ground by the Olympia Fire Department’s ladder truck, he met with children in the store and handed out candy canes.
The Closing of Yard Birds in Olympia
In 1976 Yard Birds, including its Sea Mart location, was bought by Pay-N-Save Corporation. About 1981 Sea Mart was officially renamed Yard Birds and its colorful murals painted over in yellow, the company’s signature color. In 1987 the Employee Stock Ownership Plan transformed the company into a worker-owned business.
By the 1990s, Olympia Yard Birds was having trouble economically. Although it tried renting spaces to small gift shops and other sellers, the store’s profitability was slipping due to competition.
In February 1993 Yard Birds announced they would be selling their four-block Olympia property. A liquidation sale started in August and the store officially closed on October 17. Sea Mart/Yard Birds had been in business 33 years.
People mourned the loss of their quirky store. That November, the Olympia Film Society sponsored Lois Maffeo’s program “Hello Dere: A Tribute to Yard Birds.” Former workers and others (including ex-shoplifters) had a chance to share their memories.
Yard Birds rented their parking lot to Diamond Parking as Yard Birds negotiated selling their land. The Olympia Farmers Market (700 Capitol Way North), which had rented its land from Yard Birds for a token $1 a year, breathed a sigh of relief when the Port of Olympia bought the property.
Developers slated the former store for demolition, removing sprinklers and fire alarms. On April 18, 1999, the vacant building was destroyed by fire. An AFT investigation revealed that the fire was caused by squatters, but could not determine if it was arson. The site is now home to apartments. Yard Birds Mall in Chehalis closed in 2022.
Two local businesses currently in operation got their start at Sea Mart: Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen (205 Cleveland Avenue SE, Tumwater) and Wagner’s European Bakery & Cafe (1013 Capitol Way SE, Olympia). After managing the Sea Mart Bakery for nine years, Rudy Wagner founded his own bakery in 1967.
While Sea Mart/Yard Birds may be gone, it lives on in the memories of those who worked and shopped there.
