Apple Cup rivals find common ground at Lynnwood bar

LYNNWOOD — Wayne Larson, the owner of 13th Avenue Pub & Eatery near Lynnwood, has been watching the Huskies play football since the ’60s. He never thought he would see his bar full of crimson and gray, with dozens of Cougars fans sporting their favored quarterback’s trademark mustache and sweatband.

But he’s not complaining. It’s a business, after all, and the customer is always right.

“Any time you got a large group of people coming into your bar, we like to show our appreciation,” he said.

Friday’s Apple Cup, the yearly battle between the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars, should prove to be the rowdiest watch party to date. It’s a time when people all across the state signal their allegiance to one team or the other, creating fierce divisions between family members, friends and coworkers.

The Lynnwood bar is just one place where this friendly rivalry will be playing out.

The WSU Alumni Association Snohomish County Chapter first arrived to the bar because it outgrew the place members used to watch games. With a 10-1 record and Minshew Mania inspiring Cougars fans everywhere this year, the group grew from just 15 people to about 80 as of last week. Alumnus Randy Bolerjack said he hopes to clear 100 people and fill the whole bar for the Apple Cup.

Of course, the group had parameters for a new location. In addition to more space, Bolerjack said they needed to be close to I-5, have ample access to cheap, easy-to-drink beer and members preferred the business to be locally owned.

They had nothing against the owner being a Huskies fan, which is good, because Larson bleeds purple and gold. He started watching the Huskies in 1962, when Seattle was still considered a backwater town and when people wore flannel unironically. He’s had season tickets just as long, too, and has been a regular “boatgater.” He even has a football that was signed by Don James, the famous, longtime UW football coach.

All that being said, he wasn’t going to turn down a dedicated group of customers. So the two sides formed an armistice.

“We won’t support his team but we will support his business,” Bolerjack said.

Larson has got so into the festivities, he’s even taken to buying WSU decorations (as well as new UW accoutrement) and supporting the group’s causes. He’s donating $5 to WSU Everett’s food pantry for every point the Cougars score.

When he made that agreement, he wasn’t expecting last week’s 69 to 28 drubbing against Arizona. It’s a good cause, though, he said, so he’s glad to pay up the 345 bucks.

“I was actually hoping for another touchdown,” he said.

Larson will get his little jabs in here and there. Though he pleads innocence, Bolerjack said there have been a couple of occasions where the Huskies fight song mysteriously starts playing before the WSU game starts.

Despite UW’s recent success in the Apple Cup, Larson said the team might have a harder time this year.

“As a Huskies fan, I’m nervous,” he said.

“I’d be good with a blowout,” Bolerjack said.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.