Those of you who live and work in this area may know of the DeYoung feed store. They’ve been a staple of the Woodinville community since they opened their doors in 1944. From chicken feed to saddles, they served the community for nearly 70 years. On December 31, 2013, they closed those doors for good. It looks like they left behind something important, though: take a look.

Last week I found myself driving behind their property while running some errands, and I spotted this van sitting alone the gravel lot behind the loading docks of the store.

It looks like it hasn’t moved in several months, which is probably accurate. It’s hard to tell from the green paint, but moss is slowly working its way onto the van. Around here, it’s inevitable if your vehicle sits more than a month. This one appears to be a 1986 GMC Vandura, and aside from the windshield visor and tinted windows, looks like a pretty basic van. It must have been a boring job, being a designer for the GMC division.

It’s always sad to see old family businesses close, and in the case of DeYoung, it’s one of the city’s last links to its pioneer past. The DeYoung family were some of the earliest settlers to come west and put down roots here. They leave behind 70 years of memories and positive contributions to the community, and in the future, some auction goer will get a good deal on a solid work van, painted in DeYoung green, with matching painted steel wheels.

Would you drive a green machine like this?

[Photos Copyright 2014 Hooniverse/Marcal Eilenstein]