Travelers will soon be able to find Nirvana — as well as Soundgarden, Mudhoney and Band of Horses — and recordings from other bands in the Sub Pop indie-rock catalog at a store opening in April at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
"For many people, the airport serves as a first and last impression of a city," said Megan Jasper, vice president at Sub Pop. "Sub Pop hopes to add to the quality of that experience by proudly representing the city's love for music and its culture."
Founded in 1988, the Seattle-based label vaulted grunge rock to international fame. Sub Pop is to Seattle what Motown was to Detroit and Sun Records was to Memphis.
"Seattle music has become part of the cultural identity of the city and is as rooted in our 'brand' as Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks coffee," said Charles R. Cross, author of the forthcoming book "Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain." "Sub Pop is a big part of that, and even though not every local band is on Sub Pop, their name, more than any other, evokes Seattle music to many people."
The roots in Northwest culture "fit well into Sea-Tac airport's retail offerings, [which] feature a unique combination of local and national brands," airport spokeswoman Christina Faine said. "Locally there is a following for Sub Pop, with its quintessentially quirky Northwest merchandise."
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