Republic National Distributing to Close Washington Facilities, Cut 267 Jobs

Republic National Distributing (RNDC) operates as a wholesale alcohol distributor across the United States. In April 2026 it signed a letter of intent with Columbia Distributing to sell its Oregon and Washington markets. Earlier, Reyes Beverage Group agreed to acquire RNDC’s operations in multiple states, a deal the buyer calls its largest acquisition to date.

- RNDC filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice on May 22, 2026, stating it will close four sites in Auburn, Everett, Seattle, and Spokane, plus remote staff. - The notice indicates 267 positions will be terminated no later than two weeks after July 17, 2026, meaning layoffs will occur by early August 2026. - The notice lists 166 employees in Auburn, 15 in Everett, 28 in Seattle, 30 in Spokane, and 28 working remotely. - The company said it is exploring strategic alternatives, including possible sales of some markets and operations.

The closures reflect RNDC’s effort to streamline after losing a major distribution partnership with Sazerac in early 2023, which led to a reported default on $38.6 million in invoices. By shedding Washington operations, the distributor aims to focus on remaining markets or complete pending sales. Affected workers will receive notice per the WARN act, and local economic development agencies may step in to assist with reemployment.