Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) opened an interactive playground – the PDX Play Area – at Portland International Airport's (PDX) recently expanded Concourse E.

The 608-square-foot PDX Play Area – designed, constructed, and gifted to PDX by TCCA – will provide travelers of all ages and abilities with the chance to not only stretch their legs between flights, but also a unique, interactive way to learn about TCCA, its award-winning dairy products and the makers and farmer-owners behind them. Driven by the mission to do right by the communities and families TCCA serves both across the state and now across the country, the PDX Play Area is just one of many ways the brand is bringing joy to those who pass through their home state of Oregon.

"We are thrilled to bring the Tillamook experience to PDX travelers, no matter their destination," said Kate Boltin, vice President, brand marketing, TCCA. "While travelers from across the country may know us for our award-winning products, we hope that the PDX Play Area and Tillamook Market will share our complete story – from our 110+ history and heritage as a farmer-owned cooperative, to the passion and pride that our makers have for turning the finest ingredients into delicious, high-quality products." 

TCCA partnered with Seattle-based award-winning architecture firm Olson Kundig on the concept design. Honoring TCCA's Stewardship commitments, the PDX Play Area was built on flooring manufactured with 78 percent recycled rubber. From there, visitors can explore a climbing area that leads to an abundance of Tillamook products atop a life-sized flying Yum Bus – the brand's iconic retrofitted bus – which doubles as a slide.

"The design is anchored in our Oregon roots and celebrates our nostalgic Yum Bus, a symbol adored by our passionate fans here in the Pacific Northwest," said Paige Yim, Sr. Manager, Brand Experiences and Strategic Initiatives, TCCA. "With the airport context in mind, we playfully turned our Yum Bus into a Yum Jet to show how we spread Tillamook products and joy across the nation. We were deliberate in creating a moment that everyone of all ages and abilities could enjoy, from families to friend groups to business travelers."

Serving as a backdrop and cheerful photo op for the space is a 15-foot-tall mural featuring TCCA brand icons, including the historic Tillamook Morning Star, with corresponding QR codes that visitors can scan to learn more about the Tillamook brand story. Travelers will also be able to pick up a free printed coloring page and crayons at the Tillamook Market, also located in Concourse E.

The Tillamook Market, which opened as a part of the PDX Concourse E expansion in Summer 2020, features a menu full of Tillamook Cheddar and Ice Cream products as well as exclusive Tillamook merchandise. Since the opening of Tillamook Market, 1,842 baby loaves departed as cheddar carry-ons, more than 24,837 orders of Tillamook's famous fried cheese curds have been enjoyed, more than 45,719 scoops of ice cream took flight, and almost 128,000 Tillamook cheeseburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches fueled PDX travelers.