Jug or Not???!!!

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1)

The number of iconic Portland bars along Sandy Boulevard on Portland’s east side is notable.  The recently renovated Sandy Jug at 74th and Sandy rejoins two classics I’ve reviewed – the Sandy Hut, (“Handy Slut”) and the Slammer. 

The Jug, until mid-2023, was known as Pirate’s Cove – a well-known Portland strip club! 

The Slammer

In addition, there are some lesser known, but great watering holes from the Rum Club,  Sheridan’s, Park City Pub, Lift-off Lounge, Ace’s Tavern, Katie O’Brien’s, Wedgehead, My-O-My to the Escape Bar and Grill.

The Sandy Blvd. bars are not quite as concentrated as the dives in the infamous Barmuda Triangle in Southeast Portland. (The Urban Dictionary – pinpoints the BT as “an area of bars that collectively saturate the SE Hawthorne Arts District at the base of Mt Tabor.”).

However, one can have his or her own focused and lengthy Beerchasing journey just along the 4 miles of Sandy Boulevard from the Slammer to the Escape.

The Auspicious History

The Jug because of its history and distinctive structure is known not only in Oregon, but throughout the US as a place to see. As stated in a 2013 post of RoadsideAmerica.com:

“Pirate’s Cove — built in 1928 as a tire shop and auto repair garage (the Orange Blossom Jug service station – Waymarking.com) has been a bar, strip joint, soda shop… a jug with so many uses.”

Pirates’ Cove closed in 2023, but two Portland entrepreneurs, who have been labeled “bar revivalists”, Marcus Archambeault and Warren Boothby, resurrected it and The Sandy Jug reopened in January 2024.

The pair has transformed other failing Portland older bars and failing dives into thriving establishments in the last ten years, including the Alibi, the Double Barrel, the Vern, the Sandy Hut, Holman’s, the Bantam Tavern and Gold Dust Meridian.

Cheers to Portland’s Bar Saviors – Some of Their Resurrections (#2- #4)

Stripped to the Bone…

Now this is a blog about bars and breweries and not nudie bars, but Pirates’ Cove is integral to the history of the Sandy Jug.  For context, a little over ten years ago, an urban myth circulated about the Portland’s ranking in the US strip club hit parade.  Willamette Week’s 2013 article gave insight:

Does Portland Really Have the Most Strip Clubs of Any City in the US? (#5)

As one can see from the excerpt below, the answer is “yes” with a disclaimer:

“Turns out Portland, with one strip club for every 9,578 residents, is indeed the leader among the 50 largest U.S. cities, narrowly edging Tampa at 10,813 and blowing Las Vegas’ 33,002 out of the water. Myth confirmed.”  (per capita and not total number)

And Pirate’s Cove, evidently had a good reputation, if you use the term loosely, among its peers as documented by this article in Here Magazine – an online international travel guide to cities:

Your Guide to Portland’s 6 Friendliest—and Punkest—Strip Clubs  (#6 – #7)

Pirate’s Cove was listed first with this description:

“Pirate’s Cove is kind of a staple in Portland,” says Cloud, a dancer here. ‘It’s not very popular in that it doesn’t get all of the attention, but it’s been in town for a long time. It’s one of those places where locals really dig it.’

Not convinced? The giant sign outside the establishment has been known to say ‘We Care A Lot.’ Who doesn’t love a neighborhood dive with heart?”

It was also listed in a 2023 Time.com article as one of the “10 Strangest Strip Clubs in America”:

“Jack Sparrow himself would love – the outside of the club is shaped as a large jug of rum.”  (#8)

Aargh!!! Rum….

Grading the Transformation

The physical transformation is not remarkable, but positive:

“Inside, Boothby and Archambeault have opened up the ceiling, revealing the impressive woodwork inside the jug….the tavern isn’t very large inside, but a new patio will add additional seating, especially once warmer weather returns.” Oregon Live 1/25/24

The only remnants of the strip club are a chandelier outside the woman’s restroom and a wall filled with pictures of the former dancers in the men’s restroom.

But the most “tangible” (so to speak) change is in the atmosphere. From the stereotypical strip club “ambiance” of dim lighting, cheap perfume, worn carpet and lonely desperation, it has evolved into a wonderful neighborhood bar pervaded by a welcome and energetic vibe.

I visited twice – both within six weeks of the January opening.  The first time I was accompanied by my long-time friend, Hillary Barbour, a Reed College alum, who now works at the Oregon Beverage and Recycling Cooperative as Director of Business Development.

This follows six years as Director of Strategic Development for Burgerville LLC and many years as a Director on the staff of Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer.  (#9)

Hillary is no stranger to Beerchasing, including a trip to the Vern – another of the Boothby -Archambeault retrofits.  She declined my suggestion to change her name for this trip since the bar has a clever offer – valid every day: patrons with the first name Sandy get their first drink on the house.

Some might question the aura generated by my drinking buddies on the next trip since four of the six are or were lawyers. (clockwise starting second from left in teal jacket Steve Schell, Jim Westwood, Larry Frank and John Kelly). Lawyers have a tendency to school….

On the left is Tom Kelly, retired owner of the Neil Kelly Co. and on the right is Dr. Doug Walta, founder of the Oregon Clinic and retired CEO of Clinical Services for Providence Health and Services in Oregon.  

Besides being smart, personable and good at drinking beer, I’m proud to say that each of these guys (and Hillary) have contributed untold hours to civic and charitable activities which have made Portland a better community.

Tom Kelly, Steve Schell, Jim Westwood, John Kelly, Larry Frank and Doug Walta

The Staff and the Trappings

Both of my visits were on weekday afternoons and the place was hopping.  The weather precluded the patio being opened, but most tables and the bar were filled by the time we left  and it was an amiable and enthusiastic crowd.

Jenna, the Manager and our bartender, was personable and excited about the future of the bar and her staff was efficient and friendly.  Take a look at this message from Management on Facebook.

Jenna

“Not sure how it’s been 2 and1/2 months since we opened our doors, but one thing is for sure…we are so happy to be here. Thanks so much for all the love and support during the last few months.  We couldn’t have done it without you.

And a heartfelt thanks to our staff for being just delightful, hardworking people that make it all worthwhile.  We appreciate each and every one of you.”

The walls are filled with good stuff and great mementos and bar relics fill the idiosyncratic space – there are some neat nooks and crannies and hanging lights brighten up the place..

Economical?

 

Both of my visits were during Happy Hour which is 2:00 to 6:00 every day and what a deal! You can get a domestic draft for $3 and micro-draft for $5 and a well drink for $4 plus some limited food offerings.

 

During regular hours, prices are also very reasonable with the standard burger at $11.99 and sandwiches from $10 to $12. I considered a shot of a Blueberry  Kamikaze for $8, but feared going down in flames on the way home. (#10 – #12)

 

Happy Hour Prices

We didn’t eat either time, but the Yelp reviews on both the food and the overall experience are overwhelmingly positive. The only negative features mentioned were a sound system that needed some work and making it more clear to patrons that they have to order from the bar:

 

“Went tonight to check it out and had a chopped cheese sandwich, fries and a couple of beers. Everything was literally cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly and tasted amazing!! Friendly service and a great laid back vibe definitely make this a place to check out!! Will definitely be back!”   Mar 19, 2024 (and this from a guy from Peoria so as the old saying goes….).

 

and

 

“I’ve been driving by this place for years. It used to be a strip club and recently new owners have transformed it into a pretty cool neighborhood bar. Decor is funky and eclectic. Music is mostly 70s/80s. Drinks and food are tasty and affordable. Staff is friendly. I’m giving 5 stars because I’m rooting for this place to succeed”.  Feb 14, 2024

You should pay a visit to this historic Portland watering hole and support the continuing efforts of Boothby and Archambeault.  I’ll be looking forward to their next project. (#13)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Sandy Jug Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122100957092143158&set=pb.61554294744173.-2207520000&type=3).

#2.  Alibi Bar Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=267450742058020&set=a.225413996261695).

#3. Trip Advisor (Double Barrel on Division – Picture of Double Barrel Tavern, Portland – Tripadvisor).

#4. Wikimedia Commons (Holman’s Restaurant – Holman’s Bar and Grill – Wikipedia)  By Visitor7 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30214577.

#5.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Bus Paradise.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: 
Pomdadam20222

#6.   Pirates Cove | Portland, Oregon (tuscl.net).

#7.  New Life at the Sandy Jug From Roseway Rambler – Bridgetown Bites

#8.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Jack Sparrow wax.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)
This work has been released into the public domain by its author,  DearCatastropheWaitress at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. 4 May 2007.

#9. Linked-in   Hillary Barbour (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-barbour/overlay/photo/).

#10 – #12.  Sandy Jug Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122123293574143158&set=pb.61554294744173.-2207520000).

#13.  Sandy Jug Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122097280952143158&set=pb.61554294744173.-2207520000&type=3).

Let’s Talk Turkey – at Hubers

Many people in Portland, say a visit to Huber’s Cafe – the City’s oldest bar – should be scheduled during Thanksgiving week. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

Huber’s, famous for its turkey, however, is a great place to have a drink or combine that with a lunch or dinner any time during the year. 

“Established in 1879, Huber’s is Portland’s oldest restaurant. If you visited us in the 1890s, you’d have seen patrons conversing with a drink in one hand and a turkey sandwich in the other. Over 100 years later, we’re still known for our turkey. Along with our traditional turkey dinner, you can expect majestic decor that’s reminiscent of another time.” (Huber’s website)

And that was the case in late January when our walking group had drinks and a wonderful dinner at this historic Portland bistro.  Our walking group consists of nine of us who periodically take a several-mile “hike” and then hit a bar or brewery to eat and drink afterwards. 

During the bad weather, we still call it “our walking group” but skip the stroll. Since this was a fowl weather day…we decided that Hubers was a good option.

Oh, the History….

I stated “oldest bar“ above because it was founded as the Bureau Saloon in 1879.

Entering Huber’s is an historic encounter, in itself:

“Located in Portland’s historic Pioneer Building, Huber’s contains arched stained-glass skylights, mahogany paneling and terrazzo flooring. Original fixtures such as spittoons, overhead lights, a pewter wine stand, and cash registers, fans, and operable clocks made of brass still remain, reminders of its rich history.”  Wikipedia (#2)

Although Huber’s has operated in four different Portland locations, it’s occupied the present space since 1910. Notwithstanding its loyal clientele, the pandemic hit Huber’s with the same intensity that competitor establishments faced.

Take this excerpt from a November 2020 story in the Oregonian entitled, “Huber’s Cafe – Portland’s oldest restaurant imperiled by COVID 19 freeze“. It ends with a quote from James Louie, the co-owner:

“Founded in 1879, the city’s oldest restaurant has survived WWI, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the Great Depression, WWII, the Great Recession and the months of protests that have shuttered many of the surrounding businesses….

‘Huber’s could be history in six months or so. Our lease is up in July 2021. We’ll have to decide by this spring whether to renew it.'”

Jim and David Louie, co-owners (Kerry Eggers.com) (#3)

Fortunately, it weathered the storm and appears to be doing well.  We were there on a late Tuesday afternoon and by the time we left, the spacious dining room and bar were packed.  That said, the hospitality sector still struggles after the pandemic, especially in Portland.

“‘Sales are improving,’ James says. ‘We’re still not profitable. Even though sales are higher, so are our costs. Products have gone way up. Labor prices have gone up. It is harder to get staffing. We had to raise wages in order to attract employees.’ ” (Kerryeggers.com)

Given it’s long and captivating history with the same family, there are numerous news and related media accounts about Huber’s, however, I would suggest that the most comprehensive and interesting is by Kerry Eggers.

Kerry is a wonderful writer and also one of my favorite Oregon State Beavers – graduating with honors in 1975 after serving as sports editor, managing editor and editor of the school newspaper, The Daily Barometer.

The column is engrossing and you should read it:

“Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution.”

Before I continue with Huber’s, a few more words about Kerry and why you should follow his column – not only for insightful sport stories, but the human-interest narratives. 

Don’t overlook his ten print books including my favorite: Civil War Rivalry – Oregon vs. Oregon State. (#4 – #5)

“Kerry Eggers has been writing sports for Portland newspapers since 1975. He worked for the Oregon Journal from 1975-82, at The Oregonian from 1982-2000 and at the Portland Tribune from 2001-2020.

Eggers is a six-time National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year, winning in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011 and 2018.” (Kerry.eggers.com)

Below are just a few tidbits from Kerry’s column that I found fascinating. It’s a compelling story not only about a family institution, but Portland’s history.

Co-owners Jim and David are the great nephews of Jim Louie who Frank Huber hired in 1891.  Jim Louie had arrived in Portland ten years, earlier, at age eleven as a stowaway on a clipper ship from China.

“When Prohibition hit in 1920, Huber’s nearly closed its doors. But a delegation of Portland citizens urged Jim and Augusta to stay in business by selling the slices of turkey it had previously been serving for free, and the landlord offered easement on rent.

The establishment was converted to a restaurant, with roast turkey as the house specialty, but also expanding the menu to include ham, steaks, veal, lamb chops, pork chops and seafood. During Prohibition, it also operated as a speakeasy, covertly serving Manhattans in coffee cups.”

Spanish Coffee – The Signature Drink (#6)

“Since 1975, the signature item at Huber’s has been the Spanish coffee. For several years, the waiter theatrically pouring the drinks to customers was James Louie. The Huber’s name is now synonymous with the Spanish coffee flaming drink and James’ name is synonymous with its popularity. 

…That’s giving me too much glory,” says James, who got the idea when eating dinner with wife Helen — they were dating at the time — at the Fernwood Inn in Milwaukie. They were served a Spanish coffee tableside, featuring rum and Kahlua and topped off with whipping cream.”

“Before long, Huber’s was being called the ‘Buena Vista of the North,’ referencing San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe, the birthplace of Irish coffee in the U.S.”

“James says Huber’s has sold as many as 600 Spanish coffees in one day. The average, he says, is about 250 daily….Because of the Spanish coffee’s popularity, Huber’s is the largest user of Kahlua in the state of Oregon, and one of the largest in the U.S.”

And don’t forget to check out the photo of a 1941 menu in Kerry’s column. The “$1.25 Dinner Special” included:

• Oyster, shrimp, crab or fruit cocktail salad
• Soup or Salad
• A choice of five entree’s
• Vegetables and potatoes
• Dessert
• Coffee, tea or buttermilk

I assume although it wasn’t customary at the time, you would want to do a 20% tip which would be a quarter!

Our Experience

Connor, (photo above) orchestrated the Spanish Coffee ritual at our table. He was excellent and the drink was well worth the $14.50 cost (+ a tip for Connor, of course…) 

This description from Willamette Week may be a bit hyperbolic, but it still scrupulously portrays the experience:

“As blue flames swirl in the bottom of each glass, rising to lick its lip, the vested bartender rotates the glasses around each other with a sort of belly dancer’s shimmy. It’s impossible to look away from the flame—pepped up by nutmeg and unaffected by the Kahlua and coffee poured from great heights.

The coffee snakes its way into the glass from as high as three feet above its rim—never spilling even a drop, and never dousing the eternal flame—while the bartender turns, sways and swirls.

By the time the fresh-whipped cream finally blankets the fire, you already feel a little drunk. And that’s before tasting the smoothest, most satisfying Spanish coffee in town.”

And Don’t Forget

While Hubers is known for its turkey, it has other menu items – all worth trying, most notably ham and coleslaw, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu from hamburgers to its Reuben or clam chowder or the Shrimp Louie. And the prices are very reasonable. (#7- #8)

After eating an outstanding barbecue turkey sandwich and coleslaw for just under $20, I was well pleased.  And why not stick to one of their turkey dishes such as the hot-turkey sandwich, turkey enchiladas, turkey pot pie or just a drumstick with mashed potatoes (and gravy…) (#9)

Support our Portland Restaurants and Bars

I mentioned above that Huber’s, is recovering, although not abounding in earnings, however, one needs only to travel 1.1 miles away to see a long-term and signature Portland waterfront restaurant – opened in the early 1990’s – now closing permanently. 

Portland’s economy is still racking up casualties. According to a March 29th Oregon Live article:

“Neighbors and regulars first heard the news Wednesday, learning from longtime employees that they had been given five-days notice before (McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina) imminent closure.” (It’s the last M & S establishment in Portland)  (#10 – #11)

And this is not just a typical hospitality sector closure we’ve come to expect – especially in Portland. This one is noteworthy for those who follow Portland’s rich beer history. 

As noted by Jeff Alworth’s well-known and respected blog Beervana:

“We learned today that a Portland institution was closing down: McCormick and Schmick’s RiverPlace restaurant. It was once the toast of the town, featuring the best view in the city. It was also the home of Full Sail’s Portland outpost, an important formative location in creating Portland’s beer scene.

The closure of McCormick and Schmick’s is melancholy on its own terms—it was once a piece of Portland’s culinary character. Full Sail was no less a part of the city’s beer character. It was a great place, and John really helped elevate Portland beer.  RIP”

Cheers and Happy April

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Turkey dinner.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Mark Miller – 1 January 2014.

#2.  Huber’s Facebook page (Huber’s Cafe | Facebook).

#3. Kerry Egger’s.com (Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution — Kerry Eggers).

#4. National Sports Media Association (2019 Awards Banquet | National Sports Media Association).

#5.  Annie Bloom’s Bookstore Website (Kerry Eggers presents Jail Blazers | Annie Bloom’s Books (annieblooms.com).

#6.  Spanish  Coffee ((2) Huber’s Cafe | Facebook).

#7 – #9. Huber’s Café Website (Huber’s – Downtown Portland, Portland, OR (hubers.com).

#10 – #11.   McCormick and Smick’s Harborside Restaurant (McCormick & Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina | Facebook).

March Gladness

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post.

Since I periodically swerve from this blog’s main focus – review of a particular bar or brewery – you might expect a few comments about both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four Basketball spectacle, but that’s not the case except for a minor observation or two below.

No, my title is because notwithstanding many regional, national and international concerns and challenges which are vexing and depressing, I’m going to end the month chiefly focusing on the positive.  

A primary factor is that on March 29th, I celebrate our 44th anniversary with my wonderful spouse, Janet.  From the time I first laid eyes on her at a 1979 meeting of the Oregon City Planning Commission. I chaired that body, she served as the City’s Neighborhood Involvement Coordinator, and ever since, I’ve been blessed by her companionship, patience and affection.

Busier than a Urologist in March

A slight alternation of the term for the annual March tournament was coined several years ago. “Vas Madness” refers to the demand for appointments for vasectomies right before the Final Four so the male patient can cite doctor’s orders that:

“During the (recovery period) patients are under strict medical orders to rest and avoid strenuous activity while periodically icing the groin area. With all that free time to lounge around, men are likely to want to have something planned.”

It’s explained very well in a USA Today article “Vasectomies and March Madness: How marketing led the ‘vas madness’ myth to become reality.”  And it’s fascinating to do a Google search on “vas madness.”  Numerous urological clinics cheerfully (and aggressively) advertise. Look at this one by the Central Indiana Urological Group:

“Ready for some exciting basketball? We’ve got your assist: Vas Madness”

And the Oregon Urology Institute, in my own state, helpfully offers:

“5 Reasons to Plan Your Vasectomy During March Madness”

The most gripping – “Score a free T-shirt” – with a slogan “Lower your seed…Snip City 2024”  (#1 – #2)

Permanent birth control is a slam dunk…..

If you are a Bloody Mary fan, you might also want to stock up on ice as it becomes a “groin concern” and might be in limited supply.

And Just in Case

Those who might need it, but understandably are somewhat reluctant to have the procedure, could well take the admonition of this sign recently posted on the wonderful Facebook page of the group American Saloons, Bars & Taverns:    (#3)

Reaffirming Optimism in Portland’s Old Town

In my last blog post entitled Optimism in Old Town, I enthusiastically set forth the positive steps that owner, Adam Milne has recently taken to demonstrate his commitment to a Portland recovery. 

His “Believe in Portland” campaign has gained traction and there are more indications that Portland businesses and leaders are working to regain the City’s reputation as a wonderful place to both live and visit.

I was therefore glad (remember the theme of this post) to see a headline in yesterday’s local news: “$2 million to go to transforming Portland’s Old Town vacant buildings into fashion manufacturing facility.”  KGW.com

“If approved by the governor, the money will go to the Old Town Community Association, part of a group that wants to bring manufacturing, housing, and office and retail space to the district on the northern edge of downtown.” Oregon Live  (#4 – #6)

There are multiple issues for Portland to overcome, however, as an article just today, in the Oregonian reports:

“Portland’s central city had the highest office vacancy rate of the 50 largest downtown office markets in the country by the end of last year, according to a report by real estate firm Colliers.”  (#7)

The Pacwest Center where I spent twenty-five years.

And the homeless quandary seems staggering although Portland voters and the various levels of government have approved substantial financial resources to address the problem. 

Why Can’t We Just Get Along and Get Something Done??

The City of Portland, after a successful ballot measure, is restructuring its governing and management organization. It’s a massive transition that would be a challenge for any entity, but the efforts have not been smooth to date.  

And notwithstanding the available funds, the homeless plight continues with improvements at what many consider to be a glacial pace.

We watch the City of Portland and the Multnomah County fighting over policy and jurisdiction with a multitude of non-profits gumming up the works and adding to the acrimony. (#8 – #9)

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson

Voters have approved money and changes to restore Portland, but that sinking feeling of despair returns when reviewing the recent announcement of the Joint City of Portland – Multnomah Homeless Response Action Plan – chronicled as a major step forward.

An Astute Reaction

Jack Bogdanski, is a professor of tax law at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland. He graduated from Stanford Law School as a member of the distinguished Order of the Coif.

“He is a five-time winner of Lewis & Clark’s Leo Levenson Award for excellence in law teaching. He supervises the school’s tax moot court team, which has won national honors, and he founded and runs a volunteer clinic to assist international students with U.S. tax issues.” (#10)

Professor John Bogdanski

Now taxation may sound rather boring, but the erstwhile academician is also an inveterate blogger and one of the most prolific and entertaining in the Northwest.

Check out the insightful excerpt from his post “It’s Hopeless,” below and you’ll understand why the announcement from the City/County group should be met with disdain.

“I see that the lame duck mayor of Portland and the queen of the Multnomah County commission held another one of their bizarre press conferences about the city’s street crisis yesterday. They’re very big on the media photo ops. They had an almost identical one in December.

At that point, they were bragging about a framework for a draft of a plan for some programs. Yesterday they had moved from the framework to the draft. So now we’ve made it all the way to the draft of the plan for some programs. It took only three months. You wonder how many junkies, and small businesses, died in that span of time.

And if you think the wait was bad, you probably don’t want to look at what we were waiting for. Forty-seven pages of bureaucratic word salad. The content is so bad, it’s almost a parody. Turn any page and you find stuff like:  (#11)

“Word Salad” is too genteel to describe this BS….

‘The Homelessness Response Action Plan creates new governance and accountability structures to allow decision-makers to set goals, objectives and the budgets needed to achieve outcomes. It creates a co-governance model in the Steering and Oversight Committee to identify responsibilities, coordination and goals.

Under that committee, it calls for an Implementation Sub-Committee to track progress, identify challenges, collaborate and hold one another accountable to solutions.

And it assembles a robust Community Advisory Sub-Committee to elevate the issues of those across the spectrum of providers, partners and impacted stakeholders to offer their input on goals and solutions and other kinds of feedback…..”

Edwin Newman and Schu Would be Appalled.

The last two years of my seven-year tenure for Clackamas County, I was an Administrative Analyst for the three-member County Commission. My job was to write memos, press releases and various missives as well as financial analysis.

And the late Commissioner Robert Schumacher, as Chair of the Commission, was my primary boss. Schu, went out on a political limb to hire two young guys to help formulate budgets and perform a variety of organizational tasks for a county that was sorely lacking in best practices.  

Mike Bateson and I promptly became known as “The Whiz Kids” – I like to think with a certain amount of bemused affection from our colleagues in County Counsel and various Departments.

Bob “Schu” Schumacher graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School and had a better grasp of the Oregon land-use system implemented in 1973 with passage of Senate Bill 100, than almost any elected official in Oregon. Having served several terms as Clackamas County Clerk, he was also an expert at Oregon Election Law.

Besides that, Schu had a remarkable and acerbic sense of humor that helped mitigate the stress of local government work. He was a superb and gifted elected official.

Although he was my boss, we became good friends and he served as an usher in our 1980 wedding. After several terms on the Commission, he left to work on the Oregon Governor’s staff. He passed away far too young.

Captivating sense of humor

My brother-in-law and Schu were ushers

Now before you think I’m straying too far afield, the preceding narrative is appropriate because consistent with the theme of this post, I will be forever glad that I spent two years working for this consummate elected official.

Schu was also a student of the language and we used to have shots of bourbon in his office after hours and laugh at the brilliant books of Edwin Newman, American newscaster, journalist, and author.  He wrote both Strictly Speaking: Will America be the Death of English? and a Civil Tongue.  (#12)

Journalist, author and newscaster

I still remember during budget hearings averting my gaze from Schu to avoid laughing when a Department Head would use a redundancy such as “free gratis” or state in a subdued tone, “Just between you and I,” use the term “hopefully” or end a sentence with a preposition.

And Newman would go nuts if he saw the quote from the Homeless Action Plan release above.  As he once asked rhetorically: 

“Is the design and implementation of pragmatic interfaces’ something we want to happen? I’m not sure.”  Washington Post

(I should note that I’m leaving myself as a target, because I’m sure I’ve committed some linguistic or grammatical gaffes in this post. My friend, lawyer and legal consultant, R.W.(Hap) Ziegler, who scrutinizes (nitpicks?) each one for errors and will e-mail me within ten minutes after it is published. Since I don’t want to be a hypocrite, I also welcome his inspection.)

And Finally – Don’t Forget Dr. Harry Frankfurt

I have written several posts including “BS Revisited – If Only I had Known in 2012!” about the brilliant book On Bullshit by the late Harry Frankfurt, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University. (#13)

The good professor would use the “BS” label to describe both the written and the spoken word and this excerpt seems fitting to describe the author of the above press release:

“When we characterize talk as hot air, we mean that what comes out of the speaker’s mouth is only that. It is mere vapor. His speech is empty, without substance or content. His use of language accordingly does not contribute to the purpose it purports to serve. 

No more information is communicated than if the speaker had merely exhaled. There are similarities between hot air and excrement, incidentally, which make hot air seem an especially suitable equivalent for bullshit.

Just as hot air is speech that has been emptied of all informative content, so excrement is matter from which everything nutritive has been removed.”

Enough said!

Farewell Malachy McCourt

I wrote about Malachy’s Bar in New York City in my February post “Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III”.  I had also recently featured former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jay Waldron who after he saw the post commented:

“Was Malachy’s named after Malachy McCourt? He was a full-of-shit Irishman who played rugby and drank with me in NYC in the late 60’s and I also had a pint with his more famous author/brother Frank in McSorleys , my then favorite NYC bar. Jay”

The answer to Jay’s question was affirmative. McCourt was, indeed, a rugby player who owned  Malachy’s Irish Pub on West 72nd Street. (#14 – #15)

Well, thirty-one days after I wrote about McCourt and Malachy’s Irish Pub, Jay sent me this link to the Washington Post obituaries:

“Malachy McCourt, raconteur of the Irish experience in America, dies at 92”

Cheers! (#16)

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Kansas Jayhawks Open Practice at the 2016 March Madness Opening Rounds (25817826036).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Phil Roeder from Des Moines, IA – 16 March 2016.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Rtu.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Ramonduran – 28 June 2001.

#3. Facebook Page of Amercian Saloon, Bars and Taverns  (https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmericanSaloons).

$4 #5.  Old Town Brewing Web Site (https://www.otbrewing.com/shop) 

#6.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon sign + Old Town tower, 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer – 8 January 2012.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons – PacWest Center (icensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.  Author: Cacophony 18 June 2006.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Ted Speech.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Hcraddock – 5 December 2015.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Jessica Vega Pederson.png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: MetroEast Community Media – 30 October 2017.

#10. Lewis and Clark Law School Website (https://law.lclark.edu/live/profiles/295-john-bogdanski).

#11. City of Portland Website (Portland, Multnomah County announce Homelessness Response Action Plan | Portland.gov).

#12. Wikimedia Commons (File:Edwin Newman in 1975.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice.  Author: NBC -12 December 1975.

#13.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Frankfurt_at_2017_ACLS_Annual_Meeting.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) 20 October 2018.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (Malachy_McCourt_3_by_David_Shankbone.jpg (2265×1913) (wikimedia.org) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: David Shankbone – 30 March 2007.

#15.  Malachy Irish Pub Website Photo Gallery (https://www.malachysirishpub.com/gallery).

#16. Illustration courtesy of Pam Williams.

Optimism in Old Town

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  (External photo attribution at the end of the post. #1 – #2)

Adam Milne is an optimist.  He had a vision as a youngster.  And now he has another vision. 

As I’ve related in two previous posts about Old Town Brewing and Old Town Pizza, Adam first became enamored with Old Town Pizza when he visited at the age of nine in 1979 when it was owned by the Accaurdi family.  They originally opened it in 1974.  He then purchased it when he was thirty-three in 2003.

I’ve mentioned how Adam’s unceasing optimism kept his business going after some significant challenges in the early years, during his trademark fight with the City of Portland and as the global pandemic raged in the last few years shuttering many business – especially those in the hospitality sector permanently.

And when I say optimist, it’s not a frivolous compliment. From my previous encounters with Adam, given his buoyant spirit, I would not be surprised to see him start a new diet the week before Thanksgiving. 

He’s so positive about the future, he’s probably committed to stay in Portland during the NBA Western Division Playoffs to see the Trailblazers – 14th out of 15th in the West with a current record of 19 – 49.

Okay, you get the idea, but possibly the following quote from one of Oscar Wilde’s plays is most appropriate to explain his new vision:

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” (#4)

Looking to the Stars….

Take a look at some of the articles about Portland’s downward spiral in the last few years – not only Oregon publications, but in major papers throughout the country.  They single Portland out among major cities for lingering pandemic related issues.

“Downtown in distress: Portland’s core is unsafe and uninviting, residents say in new poll, threatening city’s recovery.”  Oregon Live 5/24/21

“What’s the matter with Portland? Shootings, theft and other crime test city’s progressive strain.”   Los Angeles Times     2/10/23

“Fighting for Anthony – The Struggle to Save Portland Oregon.”   New York Times  7/29/23  (#5)

But That’s Not Adam’s Mentality

The pandemic decimated many breweries who either closed permanently or shuttered to comply with State mandates or just because there were few, if any, patrons.  Old Town Pizza was no exception:

“At one point in late 2021, his receipts in the original location for the day were $17 and he made the difficult decision to temporarily close that location.  After eighteen months, it reopened five days per week in 2022.  The NE Pub continued to operate during that hiatus.” 

Thebeerchaser https://thebeerchaser.com/2024/01/13/head-downtown-to-old-town-pizza-and-brewing/   (#6 – #8)

Old Town Pizza located in the historic Merchant Hotel Building in Old Town

The Brewery and pub in NE Portland

Carson Bowler, a Sigma Nu fraternity brother of Adam’s at the University of Oregon and a Portland lawyer and I joined Adam for a beer in Old Town in July 2023 to hear about Adam’s new vision.

Carson was almost giddy – not just at seeing his old friend – but at the opportunity to down a Shanghai’d IPA – one of their most popular seasonals and consistent with the historical ambiance in which we raised mugs:

“A Toast to Portland – Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels, an eerie section of which lie beneath our Old Town Taproom.  (about 14,000 square feet of it – see photos below)

Lore of unsuspecting laborers being kidnapped via these secret tunnels and sold to ship captains for a crew in the late 1800’s lives on today.”

I quaffed an Old Town Red Ale – one of their flagship brews:

An impeccably balanced malt-driven ale with notes of sweetbread and caramel partnered with a medium hop bite and finish.  (#9 – #10)

Adam told us at that one point during COVID he thought that his dream and his enterprise might not come back.  “Can I recreate a career at 50?”  But he restarted incrementally and continued to rely both on his marketing talent and his positive outlook.

The Old Town location had been down 60% from pre-pandemic sales numbers; however, the pub and brewery in NE Portland had done better.

But as pointed out in several articles, Adam was not going to join the chorus of those essentially viewing Portland as a lost cause.  One of the articles by The Oregonian’s Beer Columnist and Editor, Andre Meunier, entitled “A New Look for Old Town Brewing Shines a Positive Light on Portland and its Icons,” provides an apt description:

“But Milne is a self-described and unapologetic optimist, and where some see a reason to turn out the lights, he sees motivation to add wattage.

I wanted to come out of the pandemic and really be a part of the solution to making Portland better,’ Milne said. ‘So we started with that. How can we be a positive voice for Portland?’”  The Oregonian 2/22/23

 

Unlike many of the elected officials and non-profit managers who seem to offer more bombast than action, however, the article sets forth concrete steps he’s taken to help not only his own business, but fellow merchants and the entire City.

 

• He extended his lease in Old Town by at least seven and up to twelve years.
• He reopened the underground tunnel tours in the basement space below his building which gives an amazing historic portrayal of Portland’s rich past – especially in Old Town.

He gave us a tour of the chambers below which required some careful navigation of old staircases, (the ancient elevator is not in working order at the present) but was fascinating including an old bar and drinking area.

For those who have any interest in authentic historical settings, the Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour is a must.  And for $38 you get a ninety-minute tour plus some extras – what a deal:

“Learn about Portland’s dark history and hear stories about our resident ghost, Nina. Finish up with a special tasting and 1 pint of our internationally award-winning beer.”

Adams recovery actions continue:

• He initiated a re-branding campaign for Old Town Brewing

“…that focuses on Portland and the images and symbols that have won the city and region affection for decades. 

A new line of beer cans will prominently display the leaping stag of the widely recognizable ‘Portland Oregon’ sign along the Willamette River and each of Old Town’s five core beers will highlight recognizable images and symbols and present a unique toast to each.”

Milne stated, “We believe in our city, and want to be a part of the solution in making Portland even better. That’s why our new cans celebrate the city we love, capturing some of our favorite aspects of the city.”

 Pilsner and the Fremont Bridge

 IPA and the “zoo-bombers” down the West Hills roadways

 NW IPA and the Columbia River Gorge

 Hazy IPA – Pillowfist and Mount Hood

Red Ale and the Lone Fir Cemetery

The Stag is still on the front of the cans as Adam views that as a symbol of unity and pride in the City. (#11)

• The Brewery is now working with area non-profits, most notably Word is Bond, an organization helping young Black men with citizenship and leadership training. 

Adam will host fundraisers and provide food for their programs and is working with visionary Founder and Executive Director Lakayana Drury..

Drury came up with the slogan “Believe in Portland,” which graces the shirts available on the Old Town website and in stores. $10 of every shirt sale will go to a local nonprofit, with a different one getting the money every month.

Next up was Central City Concern, a neighbor of the restaurant in Old Town.  (#12 – #13)

Word is Bond

• And last but not least, Willamette Week in its story captioned: “Nine Portland Breweries Are Reviving Their Own Version of Portland Dining Month,” relates how Old Town and eight fellow breweries are figuratively “joining kegs” to create the second consecutive Portland Brewery Dining Month.

Patrons can partake of customized three-course meals throughout March, the traditional period when Portland Dining Month took place:

“Better yet: The breweries are sweetening the deal by throwing in one beer, house wine or non-alcoholic beverage and a $10 voucher for use between April 1 and June 30—a perk you didn’t find at Portland Dining Week.” (#14)

And after wandering through the Old Town’s downtown space and marveling at the alcoves, historic pictures, I checked their website and also discovered that Old Town:

“….  has a beautiful, open lofted level with several semi-private spaces for groups of between 10 and 60 people. Book an event with us and enjoy a full service, buffet-style dinner in the historic Merchant Hotel, plus even more space available at our NE brewery.”

Their Facebook page shows some great pictures of weddings and receptions held recently.

So I decided to take advantage of that for a Beerchasing Event.  I invited former and current members of the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt Environmental and Natural Resources Group to meet in the late afternoon last January for beer and pizza.   

There was no room charge, the space was well-suited for our group and the pizza and beer were a hit with all nine of us there.  

So what can those of us who love Portland do to support Adam and his compatriots’ vision for restoring Portland to its beauty, vitality and reputation as a prime vacation spot?

Well, you can pay a visit to either the Downtown or NE Portland location, order some beer on-line, buy a t-shirt from the Old Town website, take a Shanghai Tunnel Tour, book an event or just send this Portland leader an e-mail reinforcing what he is trying to accomplish.  https://www.otbrewing.com/contact-1 

And to End this Tome on a Note of Positivity

Speaking of major career decisions, here’s an ending toast to Carson Bowler.  My former colleague and friend for many years is not only a superb lawyer, but a wonderful human being. 

A leading Portland mediator, several years ago who moderated an all-day session in which CBo (as we affectionately called him) represented one of the parties told me the next day:

“Don, that Carson Bowler is the real deal!

Congratulations to him for leaving the large-firm environment at the beginning of 2024 and starting his own firm – Law Office of Carson Bowler. (#15 – #16)

https://bowler-law.com/

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon sign + Old Town tower, 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer – 8 January 2012.

#2.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thanksgiving_Turkey_2021_(cropped).jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Freshman 404 – 23 November 2021.

#3 – #4.  Old Town Brewing Website (Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com)).

#5.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Northeast Portland homeless camp tents.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Graywalls  1 March 2020.

#6.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Merchant Hotel building – Portland, Oregon (2016).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author:  Steve Morgan  23 October 2016.

#7 – #8. Old Town Brewing Website (Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com).

#9 – #11 Old Town Brewing Website (BEERS — Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com)).

#12 – #13.  Word is Bond Website (WordIsBond (mywordisbond.org)).

#14.  Old Town Brewing Facebook Page ((2) old town brewing – Search Results | Facebook)

#15 – #16.  Law Office of Carson Bowler Website (https://bowler-law.com/).

 

The Gold Medal of Dives

John Runkle – former owner of The Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post # 1)

In this, my fourth and final post on this series on dive bars, I finish with my Gold Medal.  My favorite dive in the US is the “former” Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana – about seventy-five miles from the Canadian border.

The fact that I’ve devoted four different posts on this blog to the Shame, which I visited on a road trip in 2019, attests to this.

I say “former” because the prior owner, John Runkle, sold it at the end of 2022 and it is not the same iconic watering hole that originally opened its doors in 1951.  For example, if you check out their current website, it states only:

“We’re currently open for drinks only Friday & Saturday  4:30 pm – Close”

Their “unofficial” Facebook page hasn’t posted since last August.

And this is unfortunate because if one reads author, Joan Melcher’s two books on Montana Watering Holes, you will learn that there are at least three and possibly four incredible stories strictly on how the Shame was originally named:

One involves fighter, Joe Lewis and a second relates the saga of seven dead cows – shot by a guy named Jimmy who left them on the road in front of the bar.  Don’t forget the other about a mother-in-law of one of the original owners who would sit in the corner of the bar and admonish him “What a ‘dirty shame’ it was that you bought this bar.”  (#2)

This watering hole reeks history

Context…

Having reviewed almost 400 bars and breweries before the pandemic struck, I can honestly say that only a handful have not been enjoyable and positive. (The worst was the Yard House in Portland https://thebeerchaser.com/2016/04/14/the-yard-house-does-it-measure-up/))

I’ve found that the character of some notable bars cannot be differentiated from the personality of their owners – the bar embodies the persona of the proprietor.

Such is the case with former Army Paratrooper, Runkle.  (Graduated from the French Commando School, earned his Spanish Jump Wings.  The big guy made a total of 53 jumps and ended up as an instructor at Ft. Benning)  (#3 – #5)

Smoke ’em if you got ’em…

The following other four bars I’ve reviewed also fit this characterization:

The Goose Hollow Inn – Portland, Oregon – the late Bud Clark

Pinkie Master’s – Savannah, Georgia – the late Pinkie Master *

Smitty’s Green Light – Pueblo Colorado – Greg “Smitty” Smith

Buffalo Bill’s Saloon – Beavercreek, Oregon – Patrick Whitmore

*  I never met Pinkie, but there is ample evidence of my assertion

Clockwise – Bud Clark, Smitty, Pinkie Master’s, John Runkle and Patrick Whitmore.

Patrick Whitmore and partner, Barb

Transition to Texas

John and his wife, Dallas, now live in Texas with their three wonderful young children.  Dallas, got her undergrad degree at Arizona State University and earned her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Development from Grand Canyon University.  

John met Dallas when she bartended for him in 2013 and they married in 2016.  They jointly worked to again integrate the Dirty Shame into the community of 250 people.

Dallas taught elementary school for a year in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho and then transferred to an elementary school in western Washington. (#6)

She now teaches in Texas where John says, “I’m just a full-time house frau…”   And make no mistake, John, who is now 62, loves his kids, stating “I’m the oldest and proudest dad in the world with three kids under seven!” (His son is 2 and daughters are 4 and 6.)

His competitive and over-achieving tendencies were evident, however, when he added:

“Pacino and Robert Deniro make me look bad, they are around 80 and just had a child last year.  Makes the bar pretty high for me.”

John sold the Dirty Shame nine years after purchasing it in 2013. Given the hours he worked as owner of both the Dirty Shame and the Yaak River Lodge – about two miles down the road from the bar.  Add that the rugged Montana winters and John has certainly earned a respite and as he told me when I was in Yaak:

“At 57, I’m no spring chicken and I don’t have much of a bucket list left. I’m usually at the bar until 2:30 AM on Friday nights and then Saturday morning, I’m up cooking breakfast at 5:30. On Monday morning, it’s tough to get going.”

 

Is he happy with their decision to relocate?  As he stated in a recent Facebook post:

“It’s 91 degrees here today in South Texas…Gotta love this February weather in Texas – I have the air conditioner on!”  (#7 – #9)

I became aware of the Dirty Shame while having a beer at the Moose Saloon in Couer d’Alene, Idaho in 2016, when Tara, the bartender asked me if I’d ever been to the bar.  She had bartended there and after I researched it, I was fascinated with the story.

Tara at the Moose Saloon

A phone call to John Runkle resulted in an invitation to come to Yaak, stay at the Yaak River Lodge and raise a mug at the Dirty Shame.

John had a very successful career in real estate in Orange County.  He also had successful stints in mining equipment and banking including time in Queensland, Australia for several years after he bought Yaak River Lodge in 2004 and before ownership of the Dirty Shame. 

The Lodge sits on a beautiful site of 7.5 acres on the Yaak River with llamas and horses about two miles from the Shame. I stayed two nights in the Moose Room ($115 nightly) in 2019 and had John’s home-cooked blue-berry pancakes for breakfast.

That’s when I learned first-hand about Runkle’s work ethic and the hours it took to manage both enterprises.

Acquiring the Dirty Shame – “A Matter of Self-Preservation”

Author, Melcher describes it perfectly in her first book when she talks about her return to the bar:

“….the same wood-planked front porch, the same deer rack used as a door handle, the battered pool table, the loose bathroom door, the grotesque graffiti inside, the loggers, ranchers receptionists, Forest Service people using the bar like a third leg….

The Dirty Shame is the fresh, sharp smell of pine, and the dank odor of dirt-laden, beer-splashed floors, wild nights of revelry and mornings of shared pain.”  (Page 88)

In her second book, she lamented the “deterioration” of this historic and iconic bar after a female – a former Wall Street stockbroker and her husband – moved from Maryland and bought the bar in 2006. 

They tried to eliminate the “dirty” and “clean it up.”  

“What I learn is the that the Dirty Shame died a typically raucous death and has been reborn as a law-abiding establishment, that is really more coffeehouse then bar. Sacrilege!…

Besides a piano and set-up for musicians….she also has book readings and draws many people who aren’t close enough to Yaak to be miffed about what happened to its legendary bar.  

The Dirty Shame is dead.   Long live the Dirty Shame.”  (Pages 54-7,9)

Well, their plans to “civilize” the Shame came to a quick end in 2011 when the former broker’s 82-year-old husband was taken out of the bar in handcuffs and extradited to Maryland after he pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of two female minors according to a story in the Montana newspaper The Ravelli Republic.

The bar went into foreclosure ultimately forcing Runkle to act in 2013:

“It was a matter of self-preservation.  I started getting cancellations (at the Lodge) because hunters and bikers wanted to hit the Dirty Shame when they stayed in Yaak.

I was the only one who showed up at the foreclosure sale. I paid cash and was now the owner of another business that I didn’t know anything about how to operate.”   

A Community Fixture

John’s creativity and marketing prowess took over and the bar sponsored or participated in the following:

The Sasquatch Festival, the Adult Easter Egg Hunt, the Yaak Attack, Miss Sasquatch Pageant, the Sasquatch Screeching Contest, the Big Foot Run and, of course, the Crawfish Festival each September.

It started with a ceremonial leg shaving and had events including male strippers, female cream wrestlers and mechanical bull riding.

Across the road from the Shame is a nice family-owned bar – the Yaak River Tavern.  But it’s ambiance is miles away from its neighbor.  John described the difference to me:

“The Yaak River Tavern has an annual Ugly Sweater event.  We have a Wet T-shirt Competition!”

The Stories Will Live On….

In my two days in Yaak talking to John and from reading Melcher’s book, I was amazed at the stories and why it gained the moniker, “The World Famous Dirty Shame Saloon.”

It took me four blog posts (see links below) to relate all the stories – most of them from my conversations with John over the two days I was there. You should check them out.   

These ranged from John’s efforts after he first bought the bar to plaster up the bullet holes in the walls, to visits from “celebrities” such as the aforementioned Joe Lewis, Howie Long and OJ Simpson detective, Mark Furman among others.

The Kehoe Gang was a notorious gang who committed crimes across the US in the mid-to-late 90’s.  Chevie Kehoe was the leader and he and his brother Cheyne, after fleeing across the country, settled in Utah where they were arrested for murder in 1997.

After a trial in which his mother and Cheyne (who had turned himself in) served as star witnesses for the prosecution, he was convicted of murder and several other felonies.

Chevie is now serving three life sentences in Florence Prison in Colorado – known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies”.  Also described as the “clean version of hell”. (#14 – #16)

My second afternoon at the Dirty Shame, I noticed two men who were talking to Darilyn, the bartender. One of them stated in a soft-spoken voice:

“Dar, I think I owe you for the meal I had last week and didn’t want to let that slide by before I forget.” 

She checked and said that another regular had already paid it.

John introduced me and they were both nice, personable guys.  He stated that they do periodic maintenance and electrical work for him at the bar.   After they left, John told me that the older guy was Chevie Kehoe’s, brother Noah and the other was Axel his son – the one who wanted to make sure his bill was paid.  Noah lives in Yaak and Axel in Spokane.

The Automatic Rifle attack on John and the Bar (#17)

Right before I left on the road trip to Yaak, I got the following e-mail from John:

“Don, you will see an article where a guy went nuts in the Dirty Shame with an AR-15 and you will also see the video of me bear spraying him and his brother trying to fight their way back into the bar and another video embedded in that article showing him running around the parking lot trying to shoot me through the window and then almost shooting his brother in the head.  

It was a crazy night. The Dirty Shame is truly still the Wild Wild West.”

 “Troy Man Charged Following Saturday Night Incident at Yaak’s Dirty Shame Saloon.

Visit by the Yaak River Road Murderers

In 2017, two strangers walked into the Dirty Shame:

“Both the woman and the man seemed pretty nervous and were not friendly.   They just shrugged when a regular asked them what they were doing in Yaak.”

On television, the next day was a story about a murder committed at Milepost 48 of the Yaak River Road (The Dirty Shame is at Milepost 29).  

A woman and her boy friend allegedly shot and killed the woman’s husband and after dumping his body by the Yaak River, escaped in his car.   They were considered fugitives and law enforcement throughout the state was looking for them.

John and his staff thought the description matched the couple and alerted law enforcement.  He later told a news reporter:

“They acted really unfriendly. I still remembered what they ordered. She ordered a double shot of Jack Daniels. He ordered a double shot of Sailor Jerry’s and they toasted each other, which I didn’t think was weird until two days later,”

This article about the pair entitled, “Guilty Verdict in Yaak Murder Trial” from the Western News tells the story including the result of the trial and the sordid details.

The Crack Pillow and Hatchet Lady

The Crack Pillow

A disheveled woman – apparently high on something and wearing camo-gear, walked in with the pillow seen in the photo above a hatchet stating, “You never know when you’re going to need firewood.”

Check the link to see her behavior at the bar and in leaving.  The “crack pillow,” which she gave John as barter for a Mike’s Hard Lemonade, became a permanent fixture in the bar.

The Theft of the Bar’s Life-size Cardboard Trump (#18 – #19)

Numerous Other Tales Including the Search for the Missing Person (#20)

The links to the aforementioned posts are below:

https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/10/01/the-dirty-shame-saloon-continued-stories/

https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/09/11/the-dirty-shame-saloon-in-yaak-part-ii/

https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/08/13/john-runkle-beerchaser-of-the-quarter-and-the-dirty-shame-saloon-part-1/

https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/10/16/thebeerchasers-final-thoughts-on-the-dirty-shame-saloon/

In Conclusion…

My visit to the Dirty Shame in Yaak left me feeling better about the possibility of civility in times of polarization. 

John and I have distinctly different political beliefs and yet one of the conversations I enjoyed the most was at a table drinking beer with John and his good friend, Todd Berget, who unfortunately passed away of a stroke about a month after my visit at the young age of 54.

Todd was a dedicated teacher and coach for many years, but also a gifted artist and craftsman who formed his own company to produce metal sculptures (Custom Iron Eagles.) 

He gifted the Dirty Shame with his collection of metal motorcycles that he started collecting when he was a kid. They are intricate and reflect an artistic talent for capturing detail which is intriguing and the displays add to the spirit of the saloon.

John Runkle is a staunch conservative and Trump supporter.  And John told me, “Todd is a liberal whose ideology would be left of Stalin’s!”  Yet the three of us had a wonderful and far-ranging conversation, much of it about the rich friendship they had for many years.

Regardless of their political persuasion, John loved his patrons and staff and they reciprocated.

Unfortunately, I did not get to return to the Dirty Shame before its sale. But before I left, I presented John with two bottles of Benedictine Beer from the Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon.  

A gift from the Benedictine monks

John Runkle is still a relatively young man although when I e-mailed him to verify his age, he replied, “I remember when I was young, I thought somebody 62 would be in a nursing home with a walker!”

When his three kids are old enough to be in school full time, who knows what endeavors he will pursue in Texas. It might be in hospitality, politics, non-profits or some other business, but you better believe he will not be spending his days sitting on his couch and watching Fox News. (That would – pardon the expression – be “a dirty shame.”)

And perhaps he’ll open a dive bar in Texas.  After all, he has a gold medal to defend…….

And the stories and the legacy of the World Famous Dirty Shame Saloon will live on even though the bar will never be the same. (#21 – 24)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (2012_Olympic_Gold_Medal.jpg (1536×2048) (wikimedia.org)) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.  You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.  Author: Carlinmack  – 16 September 2012.

#2.  (https://yaakrealestate.com/29253-yaak-river-road-yaak-mt.html) Sharin Lamp, Realtor.

#3 – #6.  Courtesy of John Runkle.

#7 – #9.  John Runkle Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/john.runkle.).

#10 – #13. Courtesy of John Runkle.

#14. Southern Poverty Law Center (Two Members of Notorious Kehoe Family Arrested Again | Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org).

#15.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Florence ADMAX.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image is a work of a United States Department of Justice employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain (17 U.S.C. § 101 and 105).  Federal Bureau of Prisons – 2010.

#16.  (Chevie Kehoe – Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia).

#17.   Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons  (File:DPMS AR-15 less frame.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. 18 May 2009.

#18 – #24. Courtesy of John Runkle.

BOTQ – Who are Those “Guys”?

Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter (BOTQ) Update

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #)

Followers of Thebeerchaser blog know that I periodically do a post about an individual or group that may or may not have anything to do with bars or beers but has an interesting story and made contributions to society. 

Admittedly, I have not related these stories with the frequency I’d have liked in the last two years but hope to remedy that in 2024.  I’ve known the majority of the individual “honorees” personally. 

The lineup includes war heroes, athletes, media personalities, authors, academicians, civic activists and of course, lawyers. Some are pictured below, and their stories are related in the link over their name – and they are impressive.

Clockwise: The 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team; former NFL defensive tackle, mountaineer and executive, Craig Hanneman; Portland attorney and television personality, Jack Faust; writer and media personality, Amy Faust; the late author Brian Doyle;

Professional oboist (and my oboe instructor) Kelly Gronli; the late Princeton Professor Emeritus and author, Harry Frankfurt; Jan and Jack McGowan – founders of SOLV; developer and civic activist, Mark Edlen; the late Terry “Spike McKinsey, USMC-retired; Jud Blakely USMC. (#1 – #5)

To see a list of the thirty-five “honorees” from 2011 to 2020, check out the following link:https://thebeerchaser.com/2020/12/13/beerchasers-of-the-quarter-who-what-why/

And Then There’s Jay Waldron

One BOTQ – a colleague of mine for twenty-five years when I worked as the COO at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm – is Jay Waldron.  As stated in the original 2016 blog post featuring him as Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law – one of the Nations’s top five at twenty-nine.

The older than average age was partly because he first completed a master’s degree at the school – but also because of his extracurricular activities which included boxing, playing rugby, teaching 7th-grade English in Appalachia and coaching basketball.  (#6 – #8)

Rugby.

As third-year law student.

Nicknamed “The Dancer” in college boxing.

Counselor Waldron has contributed his time and served in leadership capacities in many civic and charitable activities, in addition to having a thriving Environmental and Natural Resources law practice. 

At age thirty-seven he argued a case at the US Supreme Court and he’s also appeared at the Oregon Supreme Court and the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

His legal work has earned him recognition multiple times in the “Best Lawyers in America” and as an Oregon Super Lawyer and by the Oregon State Bar for pro bono service. 

And he just received another accolade from his peers with the Oregon State Bar’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section 2024 Award.  It recognizes an Oregon lawyer for leadership, service and outstanding contributions to environmental and natural resources law.

Carson Bowler, who was Jay’s partner for many years eloquently summed up why Jay was selected:

“For more than 40 years, Jay has been in the middle of some of the most important and consequential environmental matters and cases in Oregon and the Northwest. His superpower has always been to identify the core of a complicated case, and then to communicate that core to whatever audience was listening, be they legislators, judges or clients.

His career resume is astonishing; he’s been (aptly) called a grandfather of environmental law in Oregon, a title that finally befits his life season. But I think his lasting legacy will be the quiet influence he’s had on so many young lawyers who over the years have had the privilege of learning their craft from him.”

Bowler pays tribute to his partner

Waldron receiving the award

In his acceptance speech, Jay spent most of his time thanking his partners, his wife, Karen (see below) and others.  Emphasizing the importance of being a well-rounded person, he stated:

“I’m probably the only environmental lawyer in Oregon who wrote a master’s thesis on “The Poetry of Emily Dickinson.”

(His favorite poem is “Because I Could Not Stop For Death.” – a poem that explores the themes of death, time and eternity.) (#9)

One of Jay’s attributes emphasized at the reception was his dedication to mentoring.  And to further elaborate on Jay’s contribution to his own firm, take a look at this summary from his partner, Brien Flanagan, Chair of Schwabe’s Environmental and Natural Resources Practice Group:

“Jay was a guide and an advocate for young lawyers. A genius on developing the theme to win a case or the politics that wins approval from bureaucratic regulators. And Jay was always happy to tell a tale while sharing a brew.”  (#10)

Schwabe Partner Brien Flanagan

Thebeerchaser joins Bowler and Flanagan on his birthday for a brewski

Brien’s reference to Jay’s story telling fits into this narrative quite well, because Jay has a vast storehouse of tales – and a preponderance of them, upon further research, appear to be true. 

He is a frequent commenter on the bars and breweries I feature in my blog posts including the Ship Tavern, Jake’s Place, Jake’s Famous Crawfish bar, the Horse Brass Pub and most recently Malachy’s Irish Pub in downtown New York City.

I wrote about Malachy’s in my most recent post “Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III”.  Jay’s comment was:

“Was Malachy’s named after Malachy McCourt? He was a full-of-shit Irishman who played rugby and drank with me in NYC in the late 60’s and I also had a pint with his more famous author/brother Frank in McSorleys ,my then favorite NYC bar. Jay”

After researching, my response was:

“You never disappoint me, Counselor. Malachy’s in New York City, was in fact, opened by Malachy McCourt, who was indeed, a rugby player. See this video interview on the 50th anniversary of Fairfield Rugby Club.  (#11 – #12)

Since the Topic of Rugby Arose….

I’ll start winding down this post by further exploring Jay’s athletic and related “activities” – chief among these being rugby.  In 2017, he was admitted to the US Rugby Hall of Fame. 

 A 2017 article in the Providence College News (his undergrad alma mater) stated:

“(His contributions span) nearly five decades as a player, coach, TV broadcaster, and ambassador of the sport. He began his rugby career in 1968 as a University of Virginia graduate student, where he received his master’s degree, worked on his Ph.D., and then received his juris doctorate while serving as a player, president, and captain. Waldron played on numerous rugby representative teams and won the university boxing championship.”

Fortunately, when Jay was in the office, he chewed gum instead of glass, but his rugby gigs also included coaching the Portland Pig’s Rugby Club for five years.  He announced rugby matches aired on Fox and ESPN in a four-year stint. (13 – #14)

Announcing for ESPN

You will have to check out the original blog post for the details, but Jay’s other pursuits give credence to Emily Dickinson’s theme of death: 

River Rafting – three trips down the Colorado River and in 1996, he became the first Caucasian to row a “cataraft” through all the rapids of the Great Bend of the Yangtze River in China.  Other trips included South America and Canada.

Motorcycle Trips and Racing – Twenty-one different road trips throughout the US have been supplemented by a journey around both South Africa and New Zealand and a trek from Chile to the southern tip of South America.  He was also once clocked at 155 mph on his Ducati.  

Wild Horse Riding – After a long and serious discussion at a bar with two rugby buddies, they decided to compete in the wild-horse ride competition at the Pendleton Roundup. (#15 – #17)

South America Motorcycle Trip

Death Wish?

Could Jay’s instincts and perhaps latent death wish be tamed?  The answer to that question is in the affirmative. In 1966, Jay met his now wife of fifty-five years, Karen, while he was serving as a bouncer at a bar at Horseback Beach in Westport, Mass on the Atlantic Ocean.

“It was a Sunday night and she was not 21, but with that blonde hair and tan, there was no way, I wasn’t going to let her in.”  (#18 – #19)

The Next Generation

Karen is also an athlete – both she and Jay have won Multnomah Athletic Club Decathlons in their age groups. And their son, Shane inherited their athletic talent and interest.  He played college football at Tufts University as a tight end and long snapper from 1999 through 2002.

Starting as an operations intern in 2002 for the New England Patriots under Coach Bill Belichick, he then began what has become a very impressive coaching resume in college football – Notre Dame and UMass – eventually followed by the NFL including the Patriots, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams and as Offensive Coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2021 to 2023.

Early in 2024, he was named Offensive Coordinator for the Chicago Bears and as stated in an article on ESPN.com: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39368486/what-hiring-oc-shane-waldron-mean-bears

“The Chicago Bears know who will be calling offensive plays in 2024, and now they have to figure out which quarterback will be executing them.”

Chicago, with the first draft pick in 2024, is expected to draft former USC quarterback, Caleb Williams and Waldron will be a key figure in deciding whether he or current starter, Justin Fields will be calling signals when the season starts.  

Based on the comments of sports commentators and media, don’t be surprised to see the younger Waldron as an NFL head coach in his next job.

Regardless, Karen and Jay Waldron will be making a lot of trips back to Chicago with good tickets at Soldier Field in addition to seeing their two grandchildren. 

Odds are that Jay also knows some good Windy City bars which ruggers frequent and they can share stories – many of which will be in accordance with reality. (#20 – #22)

Karen told me that Jay doesn’t like small talk with strangers so I would tell him “Ask if they have a connection with rugby, rafting or motorcycles and the conversation always explodes.”

Well, that will not be necessary on his Chicago visits because one of his best long-term rugby buddies happens to be one Donald H. Haider – another member of the US Rugby Hall of Fame.  (And looking at both of these guys made me wonder if the term Renaissance Man and Rugger is really a contradiction in terms.)

Haider, was on the rugby team during undergraduate school at Stanford.  He played and coached rugby throughout his adulthood and earned his MA and PhD at Columbia University.   He is now a business professor at Northwestern University‘s Kellogg School of Management.  The professor has had an amazing career in government, business and academia. (#23)

Professor Emeritus Don Haider

And does he have ties to the Windy City!  According to Wikipedia:

“Haider had worked as an advisor to Richard J. Daley during his mayoralty.  Haider also worked as the Chicago city budget director (chief financial officer for the City of Chicago) under Jane Byrne from 1979 until 1980.[1][4][6][10]

In 1987, Haider won the Republican mayoral primary…During the campaign, in a desperate bid for press, Haider rode an elephant (an animal often used to symbolize the Republican Party) down State Street.”

The Weather Mark Tavern is a great rugby sports bar within walking distance of Soldier Field.  I can see Waldron and Haider pre-function and post-function at this watering hole and telling tales of past scrums. (Fans cannot leave the Stadium during halftime…..)

Go Bears!

External Photo Attribution

#1 – #2.  Oregon State University Athletic Department (https://osubeavers.com/news/2017/11/27/football-giant-killers-the-legend-50-years-later)

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jack_faust.jpg)  I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: Timlyman.

#4.  University of Portland Magazine (https://sites.up.edu/portlandmagazine/brian-doyle/).

#5. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Frankfurt_at_2017_ACLS_Annual_Meeting.jpg  )  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) 29 October 2018.

#6 – #8.  Courtesy Jay Waldron

#9.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Black-white photograph of Emily Dickinson2 – Emily Dickinson – Wikipedia)  By Unknown author – https://s3.amazonaws.com/amherst-wsg/ED-dag-case-720dpi_big.jpg, This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. (1846-47).

#10.  Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt (https://www.schwabe.com/professional/brien-flanagan/).

#11 – #12.  Malachy Irish Pub Website Photo Gallery (https://www.malachysirishpub.com/gallery).

#13.  Portland Rugby Club (https://www.portlandrugby.org/about).

#14 – #18.  Jay Waldron

#19 – #22.  Karen Waldron Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/karen.waldron.12).

#23. Kellog School of Management  (Donald Haider – Faculty – Kellogg School of Management (northwestern.edu).

#24. Weather Mark Tavern Facebook Page ()https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=510230207773421&set=a.510230187773423).

#25.  Wikimedia Commons (Soldier_Field_S.jpg (4000×2250) (wikimedia.org) Licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Sea Cow – 2 July 2022.

Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III

And Speaking of Iconic,,,

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. 

As stated in my first two posts on the topic, I collect memorable descriptions of dive bars. Thus, I was very pleased to discover an exemplary portrayal of a New York City dive bar, named Malachy’s, in Harlen Coben’s novel Win. 

Now when I’m not reading Dostoevsky, Kant or Adam Smith in my collection of Great Books of the Western World, I read an occasional novel of escapist – trash fiction. (Significant exaggeration is acceptable in the first quarter of a new year, and it would make my parents happy since they gave them to us as kids in the 1960’s).

Coben’s novel wasn’t one of his best and the protagonist, “Win” (Windsor Horne Lockwood III) is a vain, egotistical trust-fund, rich guy.  If you don’t believe me, here’s his own description:

“The fact is that many people detest me on sight.  They see the towheaded blond locks. The ruddy complexion, the porcelain features, my haughty resting face – they smell the inescapable stink of old money that comes off me in relentless waves.

They think smug, snob, elitist, lazy, judgmental, undeservedly wealthy ne’er-do-good who was born not only with a silver spoon in his mouth, but a forty-eight piece silver place setting with a side of titanium steak knives.” Page 208

(Note: I agree with the Goodreads.com reviewer who opined, “Yes, Win is a rich bad boy; but he doesn’t have to be such a thoroughly unlikable ass all the time.”).  But I digress – back to dive bars……

Now there is, in fact, a bar named Malachy’s in New York City – it’s an Irish pub on West 72nd Street, but it doesn’t sound too much like the one described by Win in Corban’s novel.  

“‘You’re you a good-looking fella?’ ‘Yes.’ I say, ‘Yes I am.’  Kathleen, the long-time barmaid at Malachy’s, cackles a half laugh, half-cigarette cough at that one. She has a rye (I mean that in two ways) smile and yellow (as opposed to blonde) hair. 

Kathleen is comfortably north of sixty years old, but she wears it will confidence and an old-world sultry appeal that some might describe as burlesque.  She is buxom and curvy and soft.  I like Kathleen immediately, but I recognize that it is her occupation to be liked.  (#1 – #2)

“If I was a little younger…’Kathleen begins. ‘Or if I were a little luckier,’ I counter. ‘Oh stop!’ ‘Don’t sell yourself short, Kathleen.  The night is young.’ ‘You’re being fresh.’  She playfully slaps me with a dishrag last laundered during the Eisenhower administration.  ‘Charming. Good looking as hell, but fresh.'”

Win Lockwood continues with his description of the bar:

“As I said before, Malachy’s is a legit dive bar- poor lighting, stained (and I mean that in two ways) wood paneling, dead flies in the light fixtures, patrons so regular that it’s sometimes hard to see where the stool ends and their butts begin.

A sign above the bar reads ‘Life is Good. So is Beer.’  Wisdom.  Regulars blend well with the newcomers and pretty much anything goes but pretension.

There are two televisions, one set up at either end of the bar.  The New York Yankees are losing on one, the New York Rangers are losing on the other.  No one in Malachy’s seems to be invested in either.”   (#3)

(The Fictitious Malachy’s)

“The menu is standard pub faire.  Frankie Boy insists I order the chicken wings.  Out comes a plate of grease with a smattering of bone.  I slide it to him.”   Page 97-98  (#4)

The Contrast with Dives

Before I tell you about the real Malachy’s, it helps to make my point by quoting Win’s description of a brewery in Williamsburg.  While it doesn’t apply to any brewery I’ve been to in Portland, it helps to contrast the ambiance of a stereotypical dive with one of the new trendy craft breweries:

“(It) was packed with – I shouldn’t stereotype – annoying hipsters.  Located in a tony warehouse…the bar drew a crowd in their twenties, maybe early thirties, who were trying so hard not to appear mainstream that they simply redefined the mainstream.

The men had hipster glasses (you know what they are); asymmetric facial hair; flimsy scarfs draped loosely around their necks; suspender on strategically ripped jean, retro concert tees that struggled to be iconic; man-buns or…the carefully tilted fedora; and of course, boots that could be high or low or any hue, but you’d label them hipster boots.”  (#5 – #7)

And Win goes on about this hip brewery:

“The female of the species offered up a wider range – second-hand vintage pickups, flannels, cardigans, unmatching layer, acid wash, fishnets – the rule being nothing mainstream, which again, makes them just mainstream with a desperation stench.” (Page 302)  (#8 – #10)

After his cynical depiction of the patrons, he completes it with an acerbic portrayal of the brewery itself:

“Too many beers on tap – IPA’s, stout, lager, pilsner, porter, autumnal, winter, summer (beers now have seasons), orange, pumpkin, watermelon, chocolate (I almost looked for a Cap’n Crunch artisanal) – are being served in Mason jars rather than glasses or mugs.  

…As I pass through, I hear a swirl of the following terminology:  bro, bae, edible, gluten, FOMO, kale, sesh, self-care, fleek, screenplay, kombucha, I can’t even, the struggle is real.  (Clarification, I do not literally hear those terms, but I think I do.) 

The floors are concrete, the lighting low.  In the right-hand corner, someone spins vinyl records.  Eco-friendly yoga mats that appear to be as comfortable as tweed undergarments are laid out on the left; a flexible man with a beard the approximate dimensions of a lobster-bib leads the mildly inebriated through a sun salutation.” (Page 303)  (#11 – #16)

Finishing with the Real Malachy’s in New York City

Malachy’s is actually an Irish Pub – in New York City – near the Beacon Theatre, Lincoln Center, Central Park and Riverside Park.  It began a much-delayed renovation of the exterior which was cut short by the pandemic in 2022, as reported in this article in the New York Post entitled: 

“Don’t judge Malachy’s on the Upper West Side by its cover”

“’It’s a shame to leave something looking that way on an otherwise very pretty block,’ said Haley Fox, owner of Alice’s Tea Cup, one block over. ‘At least throw some paint on it.’

But Malachy’s — a fixture on West 72nd Street off Columbus Ave. since the late ’80s — is the kind of place people like ‘because it’s old and ugly,’ insisted Mike Mishkin, owner of news site ilovetheupperwestside.com.

‘It kind of went from dive bar to burnt down crack den, but hopefully it will look nice once they’re done renovating,’ he said.”  (#17)

“A New York City fixture”

And the social media reviews are pretty good – with a Yelp average of 3.3 out of 5.0 with the largest number in the 5.0 category.   

There appear to be two general trends in the reviews – more recent assessments which are largely positive and those going back to as far as 2010 when it was more of a shabby dive such as these four:

“Solid place, this really is a dive. The patrons are older and serious about their drinking. The place is well-lit and has a few small tv’s going. I am surprised a few of you tried the food. The smell usually gets to be too much to eat.”    1/2010

“It can be a little depressing when all the locals are watching Jeopardy on tv like it was their living room. Service was very slow and surly. Won’t be back.”    5/2017

“I’ve lived in the neighborhood for years but never went in here. This is the story of how I learned that I was not missing much. Food was decent. Service was abysmal; the waitress had one of the worst attitudes of anyone I’ve encountered at a bar and/or restaurant. There are too many places in the area to waste your time with this one.” 11/2013

“I tried. I swear. But it’s just gross in there. Like way grosser than a dive should be. Gross & depressing.”      4/2013  (#18 – #20)

But a few more recent appraisals are encouraging to potential patrons:

“Moved to 72nd Street in May 2021 and fell in love with Malachy’s I did not know places like this existed in NYC anymore. Super old school no nonsense Irish bar with terrific pub food and staff who, like the Irish, are friendly but don’t put up with a lot of nonsense. Highly recommended for anyone who just wants to have a beer and relax.”     3/2023

“This is the greatest place on earth. Perfect Guinness, good food, anyone who says otherwise is a dunce. A 10 out of 10.   5/2022

“Do not be put off by the total lack of décor. Food amazingly good and so cheap for NYC. Customers extremely welcoming as is the staff.  A place to settle in and enjoy one of the last neighborhood pubs in the city. Drinks also very, very reasonable. Beer is fresh and cold. My friends and my favorite meeting place.”    5/2015  (#21)

But as for Me!

I haven’t been back to my birthplace in Merrick, Long Island since Fall of 2018 and when we return to New York City (I hope in the near future) you better believe that I will be raising a mug in this pub.

Okay – One More Post on Dive Bars to Follow

It’s hard to restrain myself when posting about a topic I’m so enamored with.  So, I have to save my designation of the Gold Medal of Dives to the final post in this series.  Stay tuned – it’s a classic and its owner is a class act. (#22)

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Unidentified woman with a cigarette (18991599099).jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  This image was originally posted to Flickr by Provincial Archives of Alberta at https://flickr.com/photos/95711690@N03/18991599099. It was reviewed on 7 October 2015 by FlickreviewR and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the No known copyright restrictions.  14 May 2009.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:White dishcloth on a stainless steel kitchen sink 2.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.)  Author:   W.carter – 20 February 2019. 

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:Flies around 60 watt light globe.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file is published under the following Creative Commons license:  Author: fir0002 flagstaffotos [at] gmail.com. 2006.

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Chicken Wings (7069003341).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author:  Neil Conway https://www.flickr.com/people/30934989@N06 – 1 April 2012.

#5. Wikimedia Commons (File:Hipster, Newtown, hipster beard, retro watch, colourful glasses.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Medicating Factors  26 January 2020.

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Man in distressed jeans, grey jacket and T-shirt with skull design.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.   Author: May Lee  – 1 May 2012.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:Timberlake Pilgrimage Festival.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: MarkBriello – 24 September 2017.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Woman in a red miniskirt and green cardigan crop.jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Jamie – 14 May 2012.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Cycling with fishnet stockings.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious – 17 September 2010.

#10. Wikimedia Commons (File:Cercis Brewing Company 140 N Dickason Blvd, Columbus, WI 53925 (14).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Llicensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Downspec – 31 May 2018.

#11. Mason Jar Lager Company (The Mason Jar Lager Co | Southern Hospitality in Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina, NC

#12. Wikimedia Commons (File:Happy beer taps (4976631099).jpg – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Weldon Kennedy from London, UK – 28 August 2010.

#13. Wikimedia Commons (File:Michael J. “Orange Mike” Lowrey.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Llicensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Orangemike  2 March 2022.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (File:Plano medio – Yoga.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Martinsm95 13 October 2015.

#15. Wikimedia Commons  (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Das_Vinyl_dreht_sich.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Sulamith Sallmann 11 June 2017.

#15 – #20.  Malachy Irish Pub Website Photo Gallery (https://www.malachysirishpub.com/gallery).

#21.  Drawing courtesy of Pam Williams.

Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part II

The New Atlas Bar in Columbus, Montana

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened.  (External photo attribution # at the end of the post.  #1)

In Part I of this series, I listed my favorite dive bars in Oregon – Portland, along the Oregon Coast and throughout the rest of the state.  My original intent for the blog was to limit my exploration of bars and breweries to the Portland area.

After retiring in 2011, however, my wife, Janet, and I began traveling – not only throughout our wonderful state, but all over the US and one trip to Europe.  It was natural for the range of my Beerchasing visits to expand. 

Consistent with my dive bar theme, I now offer you my favorites – first in the Montana and Colorado – two ideal states for these establishments – followed by the rest of the US.

Janet and Ernie Bob – one of our favorite bar servers at the Second Street Brewery in Sante Fe.

Beerchasing in the Big Sky State

Two road trips in Montana – one in 2016 and a more extended one in 2019, endeared us to Big Sky watering holes.  The latter was part of a fourteen-day road trip – 3,700-miles across the Western US to North and South Dakota.

Through a long story that began with my wish to take a 350-mile side trip to visit the Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak, Montana – only 60 miles from the Canadian border, my wife and I negotiated. 

So while she visited our two granddaughters in Seattle, I embarked on a six-day solo trip through the Big Sky Country hitting twenty-nine watering holes.  Janet then flew into Billings and we completed the final eight days of this unforgettable journey.

3,900 miles in fourteen days.

In South Dakota’s Badlands National Park

As I mentioned in my last post, I used two “incredible” (no exaggeration) books by Joan Melcher – Watering Hole – A User’s Guide to Montana Bars and Montana Watering Holes -The Big Sky’s Best Bars as outstanding references. 

These were supplemented by a phone conversation with the author, herself, who was very helpful and encouraging.  As she states in the first book:

“I probably stopped in an eighth of the 1,600 bars in the state.  I’ve written about less than half of those: the bad bars and the sad bars, gay bars and play bars; the stage stop bars, migrant bars, tourist bars and bars for single cowboys; the mean bars and clean bars; the new bars, the rendition saloons, the old boot-legging bars.”

The bars were wonderful – both the people in them and the trappings – and that last term could be taken literally because virtually every bar and many of the breweries (also a lot of the hotels) had mounted (deceased!) wildlife as part of the bar’s décor. 

I’m not a hunter and some people have visceral reactions to these displays, but it accurately reflects the culture of the state:

The Montana Favorites

The New Atlas Saloon       Columbus

The Saw Mill Saloon     Darby

The Blue Moon      Highway 97 Columbia Falls

Purportedly, the longest bar in Montana and where else would you see an alligator over the bar!

Antler Saloon     Wisdom 

Fritz, who is Bernie, the bartender’s dog and a bar regular

The Wise River Club     Wise River

Tom Davis – bartender and former notable musician.

The Oxford Saloon  Missoula

The Colorado Favorites

As was the case in Montana, I had an in-depth resource to help on our trips to Colorado.  Dr. Thomas Noel, an history professor-emeritus at the University of Colorado – also known as “Dr. Colorado” and who has written more than fifty books including Colorado – A Liquid History and Tavern Guide of the Highest State.

These excerpts from his introduction give you a good idea on his enthusiasm for the topic:

“Colorado is often too hot or too cold. This helps explain why some of us patronize saloons for temperature, as well as altitude and attitude, adjustment…

Pursuing higher education as long as I could, I completed a dissertation in history at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  For that research, The City and the Saloon: Denver 1858-1916 , I systematically visited every licensed and unlicensed after-hours club, bar, lounge, nightclub and tavern in Denver – some six-hundred establishments.” (#2)

Eiler’s Place    Pueblo

James “Horse” Mohorcich

“Horse” – many years earlier on his mom’s lap – second from this end.

Star Bar    Pueblo

Smitty’s Greenlight Tavern   Pueblo

Four Notable Others

Pinkie Master’s in Savannah, Georgia is a legendary dive where Jimmy Carter, while standing on the bar, was supposed to have announced his candidacy for the Presidency in 1978.  It closed in controversy in 2016, but was resurrected as The Original Pinkie Master’s. 

AC Tap    Door County, Wisconsin

Darwin’s Theory    Anchorage

Durty Nelly’s     Boston

This historic bar (established in 1850) labeled “Boston’s Friendliest Dive Bar” capped a wonderful eleven-day road trip in 2018 through Maine and ending in Boston.

Olympic Diving?

I’ll finish with the silver medal of US dives, if you will.  And this analogy made me think of the Olympic Games and some “questionable” Olympic sports in past and future Games. 

These include flag football (2028), live pigeon shooting (1900), tug-of-war (1900 – 1926), croquet (1900) and rope climbing (1896 -1932.  (#3)

Rope climbing event in 1896 Games

Perhaps they should supplement future Olympic Diving with a “dive bar component” with bartenders lifting or rolling kegs, a mug-sliding competition to the end of the bar (distance and time), etc. Sorry, I couldn’t resist…..

Silver Medal – Rod-N-Gun Saloon – Stanley, Idaho

In 2004, I first visited the unforgettable Rod-N-Gun on Ace of Diamonds Street in downtown Stanley.  It’s at the foot of the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains and I was on a 2,600-mile solo road trip during a law firm sabbatical.  The history and character of this bar are remarkable.

I returned with Janet in 2016 and we had an engrossing conversation with Johnny Ray Kirsch – also known as “Idaho’s Singing Bartender” – brother of the legendary owner and musician, Casanova Jack.  (#4)

A Musical Icon

For the full story see: https://thebeerchaser.com/2016/09/08/beerchasing-in-idaho-part-ii-stanley-and-the-sawtooths/   (#5 – #8)

And there is an update – see this January 5, 2024 Facebook excerpt from Stanley Real Estate Agent, Erich Hamm:

“Congrats to Tripp Costas for purchasing the Rod-N-Gun Saloon in Stanley and to Johnny Ray Kirch and Eve Kirch for selling. During the winter of 1995, when I was 20 years old, I waited tables for Johnny Ray and Eve on the cafe side of the Rod-N-Gun. We became lifelong friends. That summer I turned 21 at the Rod-N-Gun. It was June 5th, and it was snowing.

The Rod-N-Gun is a Stanley institution. The original owner built it in 1931 and then gambled it away in a cribbage game. It has burned down twice (once due to an exploding propane tank). The current building was built in the mid-fifties. Johnny Ray’s mom bought it in 1971.

 

Johnny Ray’s brother, Casanova Jack, ran it until his death in 1990, when Johnny and Eve took over. Casanova Jack was a Nashville recording artist who toured with many

entertainers, including Marty Robbins.

 

Tripp has been in and out of Stanley for the last decade. He hails from Nashville and has a hospitality background. He’s a bush pilot, a mountain man, and an all-around great guy. Tripp, Johnny Ray, Eve, and I have been working on this deal for the past four years, and it has finally come to fruition.”

 

Stay Tuned for my Final Post in this Series

 

Besides revealing Thebeerchaser’s Gold Medal winner, I’ll also discuss the matchless description of a dive bar and a brewery by Harlan Coban in his novel Win.  And if an actual New York City bar is that portrayed in his book.

 

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Nolene Maclean, diving champion, Sydney (attrib.), 1949.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image was originally posted to Flickr by State Library of NSW at https://flickr.com/photos/29454428@N08/52059079597. It was reviewed on 19 June 2022 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the No known copyright restrictions.   Author: State Library of New South Wales – 13 April 1949.

#2.  Eiler’s Place Bar – Pueblo, Colorado

#3. Wikimedia Commons (Rope_climbing_event_1896_Summer_Olympics.JPG (301×438) (wikimedia.org)) This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or fewer.  Author:  Albert Meyer  (1857–1924) – 1896.

#4.  Waxidermy.com Blog (https://waxidermy.com/blog/casanova-jack-and-the-stardusters/)

#5 – #6.  Stanley Rod-N-Gun Saloon Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/155766471164/photos/pb.100063669815768.-2207520000/155801316164/?type=3)

#7.  Stanley Rod-N-Gun Saloon Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=482690930529897&set=a.482690883863235)

#8.  Erich Hamm Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/erich.hamm.3)

 

 

 

 

Don’t Jump When You Can Dive!

Charlie B’s in Missoula Montana

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.  (External photo attribution # at the end of the post.  #1)

Those who follow Thebeerchaser blog know that I have an affinity for all watering holes, but a special fondness for dive bars.  And of the 400+ establishments I’ve visited during my now twelve years pursuing this hobby, I’ve gravitated to the less refined rather than the more polished brewery or pub. 

That said, I enjoy the atmosphere and camaraderie encountered in both although they are distinctly different.   

There’s a distinct difference, but both are good!

Resources

Since I worked in a large Northwest regional law firm (Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt) for twenty-five years, I know both the need and the value of thoroughly researching one’s topic.  When commencing my Beerchasing days, I had some outstanding authorities not only to educate me, but direct me to iconic dive bars in Portland, along the Oregon Coast and throughout the US – most notably in Colorado and Montana.

More recently these storehouses of bar erudition included Willamette Week’s “Deep Dive: Our Guide to More Than 40 of Portland’s Oldest, Dankest Dive Bars” and Portland Eater’s “The Ultimate Guide to Portland’s Iconic Dive Bars” – both on-line compendiums published in the last several months.  

While I’ve not had a chance to do a “deep dive” in these publications, a cursory look indicates that I’ve been to slightly over 50% of those reviewed  So I still have a lot to explore!  (#2 – #4)

The books shown in the photo above, although published years ago, were still wonderful guides in Colorado, but especially in Montana.  I had an elucidating phone conversation with author, Joan Melcher, before commencing my solo road trip in Montana for six days in 2019.

During that span, I hit thirty bars and breweries, including my Beerchasing all-time favorite – The Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak Montana.

Before moving on, I have to give special credit to my friend and prolific author, Matt Love, owner of the Nestucca Spit Press – a small publishing house on the Oregon Coast. Matt’s former blog Letitpour.net and his publication Oregon Tavern Age were both primary motivations for my Beerchasing hobby. (#5)

Matt Love (left) enjoying a beer with Jim Westwood and me at Falls View Tavern in 2021

Dive Bar Descriptions

One has to be careful in stereotyping what constitutes a dive bar.  There may be a few adjectives or characteristics that typically apply, but in my exploits, I’ve found each one had its own ambiance, idiosyncrasies and traditions that made them unique. 

Take the priceless description by Mike Seely in Seattle’s Best Dive Bars – Drinking and Diving in the Emerald City) 

” “Some dives have vomit-caked toilet seats in the bathroom; others have cracked vinyl booths in the barroom.  Some have nicotine-stained murals dating back to the Depression; others have drink prices that seemingly haven’t wavered since then…

…But really, no collection of characteristics can be melded to truly define what makes a bar a dive…..The term ‘dive’ is bestowed with a spoonful of love….What they have in common aren’t so much attributes, but a state of mind — you just know one when you see one.”  (Seattle’s Best Dive Bars by Mike Seely – pages 9-10)

I save what I consider to be the quintessential descriptions of dives for ongoing reference.  For example, one of my favorite Portland dive bars is Joe’s Cellar – I reviewed this watering hole in 2012, only one month after I started Thebeerchaser.com.

It helped set the standard.  I loved this Yelp review:

“Dive bars can be a wonderful thing–I’m not talking about the type of place where you’re afraid of getting a shiv in the bathroom, but a comfortable, neighborhood establishment where locals go to enjoy each other’s company and a drink or five. Joe’s Cellar, thankfully, belongs in the latter category.” (#6)

A New Depiction

I came across a wonderful new portrayal of both a dive bar and a trendy brewery in a novel by Harlan Coban that I just finished. 

I’ll add them to my collection and share them with you in Part II of this post.

However, since I’ve plunged into the topic, I thought I should first regale you with my favorite dive bars – not only in Portland, but throughout Oregon – especially the Coast and then some from other parts of the US.

But first, my choice for the most literal dive bar I’ve visited.  This one is in Sacramento, California and we stopped there on a 2016 road trip to Yosemite National Park:

I asked Jason, the bartender how the title of the bar was derived.   He immediately responded:

“Take a glance upward.  You see that 7,800-gallon aquarium.  (To put in perspective, that would be about 1,006 kegs of beer!) A few nights each week, we also have ‘mermaids’ swimming in that tank.  Now do you understand how we got our name?” 

Portland Favorites

In 2019, I listed my four most iconic dives in Portland.  I’ll simply list them below in no ranking and you can read a summary of each one at this link or if you want the details, at the link over the title of the bar.  

https://thebeerchaser.com/2019/02/09/thebeerchasers-best-portland-dive-bars/

The Ship Tavern   2012

The Mock Crest Tavern   2012

The Standard    2018

Gil’s Speakeasy    2017

I’ve added two more to this list.  I shouldn’t have left Renner’s off the original post. According to Willamette Week, “The Epitome of a Dive Bar with None of the Pretension.”

I discovered Yur’s in 2020, which Willamette Week accurately described as a “Perfect Dive for Daytime Drinking”.   And Yurs – owned by a former NFL lineman – is!

Renner’s Grill    2017

Yurs      2020

I would also strongly disagree with one reviewer on the subject opining on Portland dives.  If you check out my reviews of those above, you will understand why:

“I’m beginning to understand the formula for what constitutes a popular dive in Portland….Make it dark, create some reason for the service to suck and make PBR cheaper than soda….”

(Photos clockwise: The Ship, Mock Crest, The Standard, Renner’s, Yur’s and Gil’s Speakeasy)

The Oregon Coast

Four of the following gems were visited in a three-day trip with my brother-in-law, Dave Booher and another friend, Steve Larson, in the summer of 2014. 

The Desdemona Club, better known by locals as “The Dirty D,” was a 2012 trip – again with Dave – he also feels a kinship with dives.

The Desdemona Club  (“The Dirty D”)     Astoria

The Sportsman Pub and Grub    Pacific City

The Old Oregon Saloon (“The Old O”)      Lincoln City

The Tide Pool Pub and Pool     Depot Bay 

Mad Dog Country Tavern     Newport

(Photos clockwise:  Desdemona, Sportsman, Tide Pool, Mad Dog and The Old O) (#7)

What About the Rest of Oregon?

Central and Eastern Oregon are two regions which still need Beerchasing exploits based on what we discovered on another three-day road trip in 2013.

And the iconic Lumpy’s Landing was one of the two bars that I visited before I retired which gave me the idea to make a bar tour when I retired.  (The other was the Rod and Gun Saloon in Stanley, Idaho. (By the way, you missed the ice-fishing contest this year).

Central Pastime Tavern   Burns    2013

Long Branch Saloon     LaGrande   2013

Hideout Saloon      LaGrande   2013

Horseshoe Tavern      Prineville    2013

Lumpy’s Landing    Dundee    2014

(Photos clockwise:  Central Pastime, Horseshoe, Hideout, Lumpy’s, Buffalo Bills)

Stay tuned for Part II on dive bars – this time for my favorites in Montana and Colorado – rich in iconic dives and then a few from our travels around the rest of the US.  

In my effort to further educate on the topic, take a look at this interesting Thrillist article about fake dive bars: 

Signs You Are in a Fake Dive Bar – Thrillist

“If a place is actually calling itself a dive by name, that’s a surefire sign that some hipster who’s never been in a real hole wanted to open a bar but didn’t want to invest in a vacuum or nice lights. Lots of ferns, though.

There’s always money for ferns. Most light should be provided by slightly broken neon signs, not something weird like an Edison bulb or, ugh, a window.”

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (ttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diving-board,_feat,_bathing_suit,_springboard_Fortepan_25241.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author: FOTO:Fortepan — ID 25241: Adományozó/Donor: Tari Örs.  1937.

#2. Willamette Week “Deep Dive” (Deep Dive: Our Guide to More Than 40 of Portland’s Oldest, Dankest Dive Bars (wweek.com).

#3. Portland Eater “Dive Bar Guide” (The Ultimate Guide to Portland’s Iconic Dive Bars (eater.com).

#4. Willamette Week Annual Bar Guide (Willamette Week Guides (wweek.com))

#5.  Nestucca Spit Press (Oregon Tavern Age – Nestucca Spit Press)

#6. Joe’s Cellar Facebook Page ((1) Joe’s Cellar | Facebook

#7. Desdemona Club Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=275454077925770&set=pb.100063835381277.-2207520000&type=3.

Head Downtown to Old Town (Pizza and Brewing)

Adam Milne is a creative and savvy entrepreneur.

Adam Milne is a visionary.

                And more importantly:   

Adam Milne is a great human being!

I first told the story of Adam and his founding of Old Town Pizza and Brewing in two Beerchaser posts from February 2019 entitled New Energy and Ideas at Old Town Brewing | Thebeerchaser:

On his ninth birthday, Adam first visited Old Town Pizza which was owned by the Accaurdi family who opened it in 1974.

“It was in the historic Merchant Hotel in Old Town and a hub for like-minded people with a radical agenda. It stood as a beacon for the local community; a place to break bread and enjoy your neighbor.” (Old Town Brewery website)

(#1 – External photo attribution at the end of the post)

As stated in my first blog post:

“That visit had an impact and demonstrates this young entrepreneur’s vision since he bought Old Town Pizza in 2003 when he was only in his early thirties – 33 to be exact.

…..He subsequently expanded to NE Portland on NE Martin Luther King Blvd in 2008, where he built the brewery and pub.  Assistance came in the form of a low-interest loan from the Portland Development Commission in its effort to promote enterprise close-in NE Portland.”  (#2)

In those posts, I didn’t cover the initial location in Portland’ Old Town, and in light of some recent developments at the original site along with Adam’s own goals, I’ll tell you about them in two new posts. 

But first a little background from my prior visits with Adam at the NE Portland location in 2019. Two Oregonian articles in early and mid-2023 and an interview I had with Adam at the spot last July expand on the story.

I was joined on that visit by his fraternity brother from the Sigma Nu house at the University of Oregon for four years – Carson Bowler. (You will hear more about this outstanding environmental and natural resources lawyer later.) 

Carson was a colleague for many years when we both worked at the Schwabe law firm.

Thebeerchaser, Carson and Adam in July

Have things been easy for this guy who is now in his early fifties?  Adam’s example is similar to many craft brewing owners – ups and downs and long hours to both become and stay successful.  Many have not made it.   Adam has!

From the prior blog post:

“In 2003, to raise the capital to purchase Old Town Pizza, Adam mortgaged the equity in his home and sold a rental house to make the down payment.  Only one month into the new venture, their primary refrigerator went out – they had no cash to replace it. 

He had to buy all new refrigeration and new pizza ovens.   When I asked how they resolved it, Adam chuckled and said, ‘I suppose that’s what credit cards are for!’” (#3)

A deal – on credit!

Then there was the fire upstairs at the NE brewpub in 2012, which resulted in closure of the pub for about three weeks. (He continued to pay his staff during the closure.)

And, as evidence that the City of Portland’s questionable decisions did not just start with the pandemic, in Old Town Brewing – Part II | Thebeerchaser, I chronicled, in part, Adam’s unbelievable battle over the trademark issue:

“….an example of bad judgment on the part of the City – an ill-advised bureaucratic foray which drew the ire of the micro-craft community, business groups and those who value common sense…..  (#4 – #5)

Many citizens wondered why Portland was taking on this small business when Old Town Brewing had applied and been granted the image for its logo by the US Patent Office.  Moreover, Milne had come to the City offering to compromise before the fight escalated.”

Adam said that he views the stag logo as a symbol of unity and pride. Intellectual Property law can be very technical but for an interesting and detailed account of the legal issues involved, check out Jeff Alworth’s blog Beervana:

“Have you heard the one about the big brewery that sends the little brewery a cease-and-desist letter for trademark infringement? Of course you have….A little brewery owned a valid, long-standing trademark, but a deep-pocketed large city refused to acknowledge it and told the little guys they planned to license the disputed image to AB InBev.”

“https://www.beervanablog.com/beervana/2017/11/13/the-city-of-portland-versus-old-town-brewing

Adam and the City settled in 2018 and Old Town can continue to use the logo for five years and the agreement will have to be renewed to avoid future litigation.

https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2018/01/22/local-brewery-wins-battle-with-city-hall-over-leaping-stag-trademark/

Photos from the NE Pub and Brewery

Things were going well in 2018 and 2019, as Adam stated on their website:

“2018 was incredibly fun and certainly the most memorable year for us to date. We kicked off with a major rebrand of our company, canned our first brews, made it through a dispute that brought our community together and forever changed the way we hold our love and admiration for this industry.

We started our videos series, collaborated with some of the most amazing and talented people, drank amazing beer and celebrated…“

Beer Awards

OTB had received numerous awards for its beers in previous years. The honors continued in 2019 with three medals at the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend where brewers from 33 states competed.

The list of awards for OTB beer is extensive and the styles of beer garnering awards very diverse as can be seen from this link:

https://www.otbrewing.com/dock-sales

And not only did they have excellent traditional beers, but their experimental beers gained a lot of attention – OTB’s Mushroom Ale.  Take this review from Ratebeer.com.

“Not only does this beer give you an experience that I can guarantee you’ve never had, it also tastes amazing. Like drinking carbonated maple syrup with a touch of umami character. Amazing.”  (#6)

https://www.pdxmonthly.com/articles/2015/8/5/old-town-brewing-mushrooming

Adam has a tradition of thinking outside the keg.  For example, OTB started delivering beer by bicycle in 2012:

“We were the first brewery in America to do that based on our research.  I had the idea and called the Oregon Liquor Control Commission who expressed doubt it was legal. They called back and said they all met and couldn’t find a reason it was illegal.”

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/portland-brewery-delivering-beer-on-bikes-149010975.html   (#7)

The Pandemic

But Adam joined the ranks of countless small business owners – most notably those in the hospitality industry in 2020.  That’s when the global pandemic hit small businesses, but especially those in the hospitality sector, like a contagious sledge hammer.

At one point in late 2021, his receipts in the original location for the day were $17 and he made the difficult decision to temporarily close that location.  After eighteen months, it reopened five days per week in 2022.  The NE Pub continued to operate during that hiatus.

So how did Adam react to that setback and what are his plans for the future – not only for his own enterprise, but for the city he loves:

“But Milne is a self-described and unapologetic optimist, and where some see a reason to turn out the lights, he sees motivation to add wattage.

‘I wanted to come out of the pandemic and really be a part of the solution to making Portland better,’ Milne said. ‘So we started with that. How can we be a positive voice for Portland?’”  The Oregonian – Andre Meunier 2/22/23

 

Stay tuned for the next post of Thebeerchaser and you will find out the encouraging answer(s) to that question. (#8 – #9)

 

Great beer and great food!

Oh yes, one parting shot:

Unfortunately, Adam Milne and Carson Bowler are both U of O Ducks.  Go Beavs!  Go PAC2!

Cheers

External Photo Attributions

#1 -2.  Old Town Brewing Website (Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com).

#3.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Nevera Philco, año 1950, Museo del Pueblo de Asturias, 01.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Malopez_21 – 10 September 2019.

#4.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon sign + Old Town tower, 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer – 8 January 2012.

#5.  Old Town Brewing Website (About Us — Old Town Brewing (otbrewing.com))

#6. – #9 Old Town Brewing Website (https://www.otbrewing.com/beers)