Last week I had a person stop by the office wanting to sell a dining room set in a classified ad. When I found out the name of the family it had belonged to I told her…”We need to do a story, not a classified!”

A piece of rock ‘n’ roll history sits unassumingly in a storage unit in Forks. To the untrained eye, it’s just a sturdy, well-worn dining table and hutch, that needs some TLC — but to music lovers and curious minds, it’s a tangible connection to a cultural icon: Kurt Cobain.

Jackie Louthan never expected to own a piece of Nirvana history. About 35 years ago, as a newlywed living in Montesano with her husband Jerry, she was just looking for a place to sit down and eat dinner.

“We had just gotten married, and Jerry was working for Interstate Asphalt,” Jackie recalls. “We had nothing — just starting out, trying to make a home.”

One of Jerry’s coworkers at the time was Leon Cobain, yes, that Cobain, grandfather to the future Nirvana frontman. “Leon told us his mother had passed away, and he had a dining room set he was selling,” Jackie says. “Of course, I wanted something new, not old …but we couldn’t afford much.”

The set, a solid wood table and a buffet/hutch, she thinks maybe cherry wood, may not have been new, but it was built to last.

“We found out afterward that Kurt had sat at that table as a young boy,” Jackie said.

Though there’s no paperwork to confirm it, the story, passed directly from the family, has stuck with Jackie over the decades. Now, after years of meals, and memories Jackie is ready to part with it.

“It’s time to let someone else enjoy it,” she said.

For fans of Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, or simply those who appreciate a story-rich artifact, Jackie’s dining set is more than furniture, it’s a reminder of humble beginnings for many families.

If you’re interested in owning this unique piece of history, Jackie invites you to give her a call in the evenings at 360-374-5117. She would like to get at least $200 but who knows …any Nirvana fans out there??

Christi Baron, Editor