In 1976 the proud 60′ tall mascot of the Chehalis store caught fire and was burned to a crisp. According to reports a car had an engine fire while driving between its legs. The fire jumped to the bird, which had been recently varnished. We have been told that the bird had a sprinkler system installed, but that it had been damaged due to freezing the previous winter and had not been repaired yet.
My mother is actually friends with the former classmate of the daughter of the woman who’s car caused the fire. Fun fact!
I grew up in Chehalis and was 11 in 1976. I remember playing in the yard and seeing a big column of black smoke.
Some of the crusty old guys in town muttered that it was deliberately staged by the owners as a publicity stunt.