The Cabin Tavern in Bellingham is notable for several quirks: high-octane margaritas, taxidermy as decor and, as of last year, record Rainier Beer sales. In 2024, Bellingham’s quintessential dive bar was the top Rainier seller in Washington state, according to a January Facebook post.
Rainier’s marketing team confirmed it’s not hyperbole.
Rainier Brand Director Sean McKillop said The Cabin is indeed No. 1 for Rainier sales in Washington. It’s also No. 2 in the U.S., beaten out only by The Podski in Bend, Oregon. (Notably, The Podski also serves hot dogs cooked in Rainier instead of water.)
So how much Rainier does The Cabin sell, exactly? Owner Christian Danielson says the bar runs through about 200, 24-can cases of Rainier per month. Its distributor, Columbia Distributing, previously told him most bars get one Rainier delivery per week — but The Cabin requires two (and sometimes three).
Danielson said it’s hard to know exactly why Rainier has taken off at The Cabin. Part of it can be chalked up to competitive pricing, but he added that Rainier’s classic PNW branding aligns with The Cabin’s atmosphere.
“I think we probably share some of the sense of humor from the classic ‘70s commercials,” he added. “You know, we’ve got taxidermied raccoons in a canoe at the bar. It just feels like it’s a perfect fit.”
The folks at Rainier love The Cabin right back. As a Western Washington University graduate, McKillop has spent his fair share of nights there: “Great little bar with an awesome staff to this day,” he wrote. “I get to visit a couple times per year.”
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Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.