Revisiting the Inside Passage – Part II – Darwin’s Theory – An Outstanding Bar

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

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 and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.

On our Holland America Cruise this summer, Darwin’s Theory was only about five blocks from our hotel in Anchorage and this legendary dive bar radiates character.

I may be a bit biased since it’s owned by one Darwin Biwer – a 1966 graduate of my undergrad alma mater – Oregon State University.

It’s true that unlike fellow OSU grad, Linus Pauling, he didn’t want multiple Nobel Prizes. Similarly, unlikw fellow OSU alum Jensen Huang he’s not the founder and chief executive officer of NVIDIA, which in 2024 became the most valuable public company in the world.

That said, Darwin Biwer, owns and operates an outstanding establishment.

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

Prior to opening the bar, he had a storied career as a wildlife biologist for the State of Alaska. In the early eighties he decided to do something different as stated below:

“When Darwin and his buddies opened the bar at its current location on G Street, they all set out to open a bar where people could come and build community while sitting down to enjoy a cold beer.

Over its 40-plus years in business, Darwin’s Theory has become a neighborhood bar with a happy and laidback atmosphere that quickly becomes busy and boisterous when ‘the regulars” come to visit- locals, out-of-state visitors, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of some of Darwin’s first customers, airline crews, and more.” (#2)

Our first visit was eleven years ago on our 2014 cruise. That summer afternoon, Janet and I stopped at Darwin’s – which appeared to be just a hole-in-the-wall dive with a cool name in an old building. Our bartender was Barbara Jean (who I found out later was a legend like Darwin “Hisself.”).

Like many of the dive bars I’ve visited in the last fourteen years, Darwin’s was preceded by another establishment in the same quarters. In this case, a long-established bar named Ruthie’s Forty-Niner. As stated by Darwin in the book, Last Call: (#3)

Darwin “Hisself”

“I bought Darwin’s Theory in Anchorage with two partners back in 1981. It was Ruthie’s Forty-Niner before that. Ruthie was seventy-six years old and she’d been in the bar business for thirty years, so she was ready to get out of the bar business.

But she couldn’t find anybody. I mean, all kinds of people were always wantin’ her to sell it to ’em all the time, but she was a shrewd old tomato and she wasn’t ready to sell it to just anybody.”

But Ruthie relented when Darwin got two partners – Birdhouse Dick Delak and Bill Seltenrich from Fairbanks. The rest is history.

Now there were some other good and colorful bars in Anchorage that we checked out in 2014, such as Humpy’s Great Alaskan Ale House, McGinley’s Pub (reopened in 2023 after closing during the pandemic) and the Pioneer Bar.

I wrote about these and our first visit to Darwin’s in my 2014 blog post https://thebeerchaser.com/2014/07/08/thebeerchaser-does-alaska-anchorage-part-1/

Eleven years ago, we had an 8:00 PM dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse and we walked back to our hotel at 9:30. As might be expected in the Land of the Midnight Sun, it was still very sunny – the average summer daylight in Anchorage averages 19.5 hours.

I told Janet, “There’s no way I can get to sleep even with heavy curtains; I’m going back to Darwin’s!” It was a good decision.

That Friday night, the watering hole was jammed. I sat at the horseshoe-shaped bar drinking a can of Budweiser next to a friendly guy named Bill – in his fifties and an oil field worker. He had also spent years fishing in the Bering Sea and some exciting times running marijuana from Mexico to the East coast in the ’70’s. “I had an old Lincoln with really big fenders….”

Barbara Jean was still serving and happily posed for a photo with Thebeerchaser logo. She told me she’d worked at Darwin’s for twenty-nine years.

Barbara Jean

Unfortunately, Barbara Jean Ahberg passed away from cancer in 2015. Darwin’s has a pictorial memorial to her (see below) This was her description of Darwins in the aforementioned book:

“It’s a fun kind of old-fashioned bar. No tricks. What you see is what you get. You can tell people that they have to leave if they’re in a bad mood; which is right because it’s a small bar, so a bad mood or if somebody’s angry is going to impact everybody else’s mood.

So you can tell them to come back when they’re in a better mood and, generally, everybody listens to the bartender here, so we don’t have a big problem. We don’t have fights, or anything like that.”

The Darwin’s Easter Egg Decorating Contest and Stick Pony Race on Derby Day – are still annual events which she originated and hosted – ongoing tribute to her. (#4 -#7)

Barbara Jean’s description of how the Easter Egg contest “evolved.”

“Easter Sunday, my first year, there were three people here and it was so boring. Everybody was out doing lunches and church and all that. I just couldn’t have that, so the next year I had an Easter egg coloring contest.

…..There were about eight or nine people who participated the first year. This last year, thirty people participated and everybody wore Easter bonnets and I made a big turkey, a lot of food and champagne. And now it’s blossomed into a full-blown event.”

But What About Evolution?

It seems paradoxical, but one of the captivating features of Darwin’s Theory is that it has not evolved! As stated in The Alaska Current:

“They haven’t caved to the trends of the time and installed 15 taps of various local IPAs. They are still rocking cans and bottles only. Never change Darwin’s, we love you.”

They still have the best free popcorn in Anchorage – maybe all of Alaska – also true of their juke box. And don’t expect to use a credit card or a pay by check – “We accept no out-of-town checks and damn few local ones!”

Their signature drink still “…is sure to warm you up — cinnamon schnapps and tabasco!. According to their website, Darwin is the world’s biggest seller of cinnamon schnapps!”

That said, I didn’t verify if they still have what their website advises patrons to see:

“Be sure and visit the “Heavy Petting Zoo” in the backroom! (#8 – #9)

This description in a Yelp review from 2013 by Eric from Nevada City still holds true:

“When you step inside, you’ll realize that this is no hipster dive bar. No sir! This has been a dive bar since inception and doesn’t appear to have changed. Beer in the bottle, great service, and interesting patrons round out the perfect dive-bar experience.”

And the long-time tradition of all-female bartenders still remains as evidenced when we returned this summer. One recent Roadtrippers.com review stated, “Amazing dive bar, if you’re lucky hottie Alaskan Annie will be bartending.” Annie was indeed our bartender and proudly showed us her calendar entitled “Ladies of the North.” (#10 – #11)

And Then There’s Gene Ferguson

The 2023 Alaska Current newspaper article cited above, when listing the highlights of Darwin’s Theory, lists as the bar’s Most Valuable Person:

“The guy who tries to sell you wildlife postcards every single time you walk through the doors.”

Gene Ferguson

After about ninety minutes at the bar, our party met that MVP – 76-year-old Gene Ferguson – a Massachusetts native, who has now been in Alaska almost forty years. We had noticed him sitting at the bar near the entrance and showing people photos.

He then came over to our table and told his fascinating story, which again shows Darwin’s heart for his community. (I could devote an entire post to this incredible guy!)

Below is the first paragraph about Gene’s saga from the 5/3/2007 edition of the Alaska Frontiersman entitled: “Gene Ferguson takes on Anchorage Police over a DUI charge.”

“Thousands of people are arrested for drunken driving in Alaska every year. Some are doctors and lawyers who wear suits and live in big houses. Others are more like Gene Ferguson, who dresses in plaid flannel shirts and cargo pants, and is content to live in his van.

Ferguson beat his DUI rap, but Anchorage Police still seized his van, which left him not guilty yet homeless

Gene told us that about 2:30 AM, someone broke into his old van and stole his violin. He tried to report it to two patrolmen. They advised him to wait until the morning and go to the police station which he did eight hours later.

Gene’s current home.

“…(two police officers) asked Ferguson if he’d been drinking. He told the officers he’d had a few drinks the night before, he said, and then tried to tell them about the stolen violin. But that’s not what (the cops) were interested in. They had Ferguson perform several field sobriety tests.”

Gene flunked, in large part because of his physical limitations, and they arrested him and impounded his van. But that’s is where the plot thickened. He blew a .0145 on the breathalyzer, which is way below (about one-fifth) of the .08 legal limit.

The charges were dropped, but a hearings officer ruled that because the officers had probable cause, Gene had to pay the $400 in impound and related fees to get his van back. A lawyer represented him pro-bono in a subsequent hearing. I don’t know if he prevailed in getting the fees refunded.

Gene was animated and philosophical as we listened intently to his story and although neither we nor our friends, the Noppers, have ever done a similar transaction in a bar, we each readily paid him $25 for two beautiful photos. The stunning mage of Mount Denali below is now framed and hangs in our house in Oregon.

Gene Ferguson evidently has many friends who look out for him besides the crew at Darwins. On his 70th birthday, Darwins had a birthday party for him.

Purportedly, noted Alaska artist, Byron Birdsall, known for his exceptional talent in watercolor and oil paintings, “was impressed enough by (one of Gene’s) photographs to make a painting, as well as a limited-edition print of it, shown here with the photographer.” (#12 – #13)

I don’t know when we’ll return to Alaska, but I’d love to meet Darwin in person and would suggest if you visit Anchorage, to stop, have a beer or a peppermint schnapps and say hello to Gene, who will probably convince you to buy a photo or a postcard.

The pandemic resulted in the permanent closure of many bars and breweries in Alaska – just as it did throughout the US. But Darwin’s Theory Bar give’s credence to English philosopher, Herbert Spencer’s phrase “Survival of the Fittest” describing Charles Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection.

Darwin Biwer has been in business for over four decades and had to close his bar several times during the pandemic, but stated in the March 9, 2021 edition of Alaska’s News Source:

“’We’ve had volcanoes, we’ve had earthquakes, we’ve had our share being downtown here, but nothing, nothing close to this,’ he said, reflecting on the pandemic that forced him to shut his doors more than once….’You probably noticed, I have a big, big smile on my face,’ he said. ‘We’re eight days short of a full year of our first closure…’

“It feels like there is hope that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,’ he said. ‘We’ve been in a real dark tunnel for a long time.’

Charles Darwin once said, “A man’s friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.”

Darwin’s Theory is now thriving and customers, from not only throughout Alaska, but airline personnel, oil field workers, fishermen and just plain tourists from all over the world, make a beeline for Darwin’s Theory when they come to Anchorage. I would suggest it’s going to keep happening for several more decades.

Besides the free popcorn, that’s because the owner and his employees all convey Charles Darwin’s sentiment above.

Cheers and Blessings for the Season

External Photo Attribution

#1. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page logo (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=490204523111461&set=pb.100063657515543.-2207520000&type=3)

#2. Yelp Review (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/darwins-theory-anchorage?select=WNztjmz6O_HDLGRoIhcq7Q). Jeff C – 8/8/24.

#3. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/darwinstheoryalaska/photos/pb.100063657515543.-2207520000/1853568564683285/?type=3)

#4. Legacy Alaska.com (Barbara Jean Alberg Obituary).

#5. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page – derby (https://www.facebook.com/darwinstheoryalaska/photos/pb.100063657515543.-2207520000/2177964025577069/?type=3).

#6. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=921019780029931&set=pb.100063657515543.-2207520000&type=3).

#7. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=923705796427996&set=pb.100063657515543.-2207520000&type=3).

#8. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=977459521052623&set=pcb.977460011052574).

#9. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/darwinstheoryalaska/photos/pb.100063657515543.-2207520000/2103396279700511/?type=3).

#10. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/darwinstheoryalaska/photos/pb.100063657515543.-2207520000/671773299529490/?type=3).

#11. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=634992978632614&set=pb.100063657515543.-2207520000&type=3).

#12. Darwin’s Theory Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/darwinstheoryalaska/photos/pb.100063657515543.-2207520000/2124421557597983/?type=3).

#13. Alaska Life Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TheAlaskaLife/posts/anchorage-alaska-in-the-dead-of-winter-photo-by-gene-ferguson/2260378640660854/) Daryl Pederson 8 January 2019.

You’ll Want to Tarry at Jerry’s

Posted on October 25, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

The above photo shows what one sees walking in the front door of Jerry’s Tavern and gives a good idea of what to expect inside. Those who haven’t experienced this great dive bar in the Northwest Industrial District of Portland, might wonder how a bar that’s been opened for only about eighteen months became “World Famous.”

But those who know owner Jared “Jerry” Benedetto and his wife, Lauren, and followed him when he opened Jerry’s Pizza (as a hobby) and talked about his future dream would not be surprised. Besides, the description on the door about global notability doesn’t mention a timeline. (#1)

Jerry – a guy who pursues his dreams

One of my good friends who follows Thebeerchaser wondered about my tendency to write about a lot of stuff besides just bars and breweries. He asked if I had toned down my quest to visit new watering holes.

I pointed out my recent post about my newest discovery – Top of the Hill Tavern and my list of favorite dives in that post and assured him that my journey would continue. I then responded that after writing boring memos on legal management for 40+ years, the opportunity to address a broad spectrum of topics was compelling.

As an aside, my brother-in-law, Dave Booher, who has been a frequent Beerchasing companion, just sent me an article entitled, “The Best Dive in Every State.” Having been to about 435 watering holes in the last fourteen years including about 200 throughout the US, I devoured the piece with enthusiasm.

I then sheepishly told him that I’d only been to one on the list – Portland’s Reel M Inn Tavern – a unique spot known primarily for its roasted chicken and jo jo’s, but not for its dive bar trappings. (I then asked Dave if was ready for a road trip….)

Why Jerry’s?

Well, let’s start with just the ambiance of this small (approximately 750 square feet) space, which is filled with Green Bay Packer (Jerry), Chicago Bears (Lauren), Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Blackhawk, Milwaukee Brewer and Wisconsin Badger (where Lauren got both her BA and MBA) pennants and gear. And it’s not store-bought stuff – most of it is from Jerry’s personal collection.

You’ll see photos of regulars, old beer signs (especially Hamm’s and Miller), an iced bucket of Miller High Life in bottles, untapped kegs sitting on a table and multiple TVs with games (generally not being watched except for Packer and Bear contests), Christmas lights which stay up all year and ……well, you get the picture. (#2 – #3)

In fact, Jerry’s brought back memories of one of my top-five dives in Portland I visited in 2012 – the Ship Tavern. (The Ship is about the same size, a Chicago Bears and Cubs bar, has sawdust on the floor and the front exterior is unforgettable.)

I learned about Jerry’s from my son-in-law, Ryan Keene and his dad, Ron, who both have offices nearby. Since the last time the three of us had Beerchased was in 2017 at the Labrewatory, we were long past due. (This creative enterprise was one of the casualties of the pandemic and closed permanently in 2020.)

We decided to meet for lunch which allows me to talk about another great feature of the bar – the food – a limited menu because of the small kitchen, but we loved it and it gets great reviews.

The prices are also surprisingly low – where can you get a cheeseburger for only $8, a hot dog with grilled onions for $5 or three tacos for $10? The sides are also dive bargains – chips ($1), fries ($2), chili ($3) or cheese curds ($4).

Ron and I had an outstanding meatloaf sandwich for only $10. Ryan dug in on the wings (6 for $11) and we shared their cheese curds with ranch dressing – a Midwestern tradition. (#4)

I’d never seen a meatloaf sandwich in a dive bar, but given Jerry’s Midwest focus, I assumed the inclusion of meatloaf in the menu was because some guy in Racine, Wisconsin created it in the 19th century.

But, in an effort to enlighten you, here’s what I discovered:

“The concept of meatloaf dates back to ancient times, with evidence of similar dishes found in various cultures around the world. One of the earliest recorded recipes for a meatloaf-like dish comes from ancient Rome, where a dish called ‘patina’ was served. Patina was a mixture of ground meat, vegetables, and spices, baked in a pie crust.” (Tastefood.com)

The Drinks

I had a sample of the Stevens Point Lager – a great midwestern beer and they have a reasonable tap list, but the flagship beer at Jerry’s is my favorite – Miller High Life in a bottle – the Champagne of Bottled Beer – born in Milwaukee in 1903 and flavored with Pacific Northwest hops. (See this article from Vinepair.com for the interesting story on the slogan.)

According to the personable Bar Manager, Ranessa Williamson-Callen – a Wisconsin native – they went through forty cases during the previous weekend.

Most dive bar aficionados would not hit their favorite establishment for a cocktail, but that’s again where Jerry’s breaks the mold. You can get a quality margarita, old fashioned, seven & seven, white Russian or Tom Collins.

What will bring me back, however, is the chance to have one of Ranessa’s Bloody Mary’s – also to meet Jerry in person. I’m relying on a Spring 2025 article in Portland Monthly Magazine (I would suggest this quality magazine has probably not written up a dive bar previously.)

“But the can’t-miss star here is Williamson-Callen’s impressive Bloody Mary: a 20-ingredient mix, lager back, and a skewer of summer sausage, Muenster, pickled onions, olives, and a whole pepperoncini. It’s the best Bloody Mary I’ve ever personally consumed in Portland, full stop, and an emblem of the perfected-classics ethos that guides Jerry’s Tavern.” (#5)

Fully loaded – best in Portland

Now besides beer and great cocktails, those looking for a mellow option can choose from several Jello-shots ($2) including strawberry, lemon or Malort.- a Chicago favorite. And Ranessa, spent most of the time during our lunch working on preparing pudding shots ($5) (pumpkin spice) from scratch for the rest of October.

She has a delightful personality and we chatted while she worked on making the pudding. (Fortunately, the television you see below with Stephen A. Smith pontificating was muted.) (#6)

The Other Stuff

Jerry’s has a great “juke box” with mostly country-western tunes on the “most played” list although it included numbers by Creed, 3 Doors Down and Sean Kingston (who will have time to write more songs while serving his three-year prison sentence). Surprisingly there were no selections by Meat Loaf.

There is an expansive patio immediately adjacent which also sees a lot of Miller downed on good weather days.

In short, Jerry’s Tavern is a wonderful dive bar and I will definitely return to meet Jerry and Lauren personally as well as downing one of Ranessa’s Bloody Mary’s. The following two reviews (and they are almost all positive) may help convince you that Jerry’s will, in fact, become “World Famous.”

“Jerry’s isn’t just a bar. It’s a cathedral of character…The man himself, Jerry, is behind the bar, slinging drinks like he was born for this. He’s part bartender, part therapist, part shaman. He could be my dad if he wanted to, but this morning he feels like my brother–the kind who’d bail you out of jail without asking questions.” (Yelp 12/1/24)

“This place looks like it’s been plucked directly from the Midwest and dropped in Portland’s NW Industrial area. It also looks like it’s been here for years, not days. It feels cozy and familiar without trying too hard. I have been following Jerry’s journey for the past few years.” (Restaurant Guru – 2024) (#7)

Jerry’s dream was to not just to open a bar:

“…but a community space in the tradition of a great Midwestern bar. Or, as Benedetto puts it, ‘a place to gather when times are good, when times are bad, or any time for that matter.’ ” (Oregon Live) (Photo courtesy of Michael Novak/Portland Monthly magazine.)

He’s a dreamer.

So far, so good, Jerry and Lauren!

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Linked in logo – (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-jerry-benedetto-5a69a4180/).

#2. Yelp Reviews (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jerry-s-tavern-portland?select=snWOH0M6WDbb9sp0dsHFhg) miller lite

#3. Yelp Reviews (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jerry-s-tavern-portland?select=Ngyf0LVcTCzgPXlREDj8hg).

#4. #Wikimedia Commons (File:Meatloaf on white plate.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author: Roundhere44 – 7 March 2016.

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bloody_Mary_2.jpg) L licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: goblinbox https://www.flickr.com/people/25977089@N00) – 15 March 2014.

#6. Yelp Reviews ((https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jerry-s-tavern-portland?select=h_PosqSFpag7lxZ7-JANZQ).

#7. Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10105147031135361&set=pb.22016580.-2207520000&type=3).

#8. Portland Monthly (https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/2025/01/jerrys-tavern-restaurant-bar-review). Courtesy of Michael Novak/Portland Monthly magazine.

Get Your Thrill at the Top of the Hill

Posted on October 5, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

Those of you who follow this blog know that I write about both bars and breweries. Having posted reviews of 400+ since I started this retirement hobby fourteen years ago, my favorite genre is dive bars.

That said, while my wonderful wife loves breweries, dive bars are not on her dance card. (I might add, her definition of a dive bar and mine are quite different.) One notable exception was on a 2016 road trip in California to Yosemite National Park where we spent one night in Sacramento and I persuaded her to raise a mug in the world’s most literal dive bar.

While at the bar, I asked bartender, Jason, 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 503 kegs of beers.) A few nights each week, we also have “mermaids” swimming in that tank. Now do you understand how we got our name.?”

A Recently Discovered Portland Dive , But First….

Before I tell you about the Top of the Hill Tavern, my newest dive on Portland’s east side, it may be worth reminiscing (at least for me) about some of my Oregon favorites. Our travel has taken us to bars and breweries throughout the US and even a few in Europe, but it seems the best are close to Portland. (By the way, it’s a wonderful place to live….)

https://thebeerchaser.com/2024/02/02/dont-jump-when-you-can-dive/

In Portland dives, the PBR, Hamms and Budweiser flow like a mountain stream cascading down the slopes of Mount Hood in early spring. (#1)

Sky Blue Waters

The photos shown below are my five favorites – The Ship (2012), the Mock Crest Tavern (2012), Gil’s Speakeasy (2017), The Standard (2018) and Yur’s Bar and Grill (2020).

Yet, I can’t forget the Oregon Coast where at these five watering holes, the frothy head in your mug is like a wave at its foamy crest just before crashing onto the pristine white sand before receding for another cycle. (#2)

Thats when on a 2014 Road trip with two friends (Dave Booher and Steve Larson), we hit twelve bars on the coast in 2.5 days with these four making the all-star list in addition to the Desdemona Club (The Dirty D) in Astoria in 2012.

The Sportsman Pub and Grub (Pacific City), the Old Oregon Tavern (Lincoln City), Mad Dog Country Tavern (Newport) and the Tide Pool Inn (Depoe Bay) garnered the other four top spots. (#3)

I had driven by the Top of the Hill numerous times – an inconspicuous building with a large parking lot, but no other businesses or homes around. My intent last March was to visit it with my long-term Beerchasing friend, Hillary Barbour.

But I messed that one up and told her to meet me at the Hi-Top Tavern which is only 3.6 miles away or a nine-minute drive from Top of the Hill. We enjoyed the Hi-Top, but it was a classy neighborhood bar and definitely not a dive. So, we resolved, the next time we Beerchased to dive at the Top of the Hill. (And it was worth it.)

I’m a fast learner, so I cautioned Hillary that we were going to the Top of the Hill in NE Portland – not the bar with the same name in Kaimuki, Hawaii or Babe’s Boys Tavern at the Top of the Hill in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Similarly, we were not going to raise a mug at Top of the Hill Bar in Cork, Ireland or at North Carolina’s first microbrewery, the Top of the Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Chapel Hill (which even has its own Wikipedia page.)

And just to rub it in, Hillary admonished me not to show up at Top O’Th’ Hill – a family-owned American bar in Bridgewater, New Jersey, even though they have an outstanding butternut squash soup.

But as you can see below, we did meet on a Saturday afternoon at the right watering hole and joined a few regulars in relishing the “ambiance.”

I’ve known Hillary since shortly after her graduation from Reed College in Portland, when she was a Research Intern for the City Club of Portland and I was on the Research Board. She has had an impressive career including almost twenty years working on the staff of recently retired US Representative, Earl Blumenauer. (#4)

Effectively served Oregon for thirty years.

Subsequent jobs have been in marketing and strategic planning for both private and non-profit corporations. Friends call her “Hill,” so perhaps the venue that day was appropriate.

Our server, Amber, who is a long-time employee of the bar said the owner is a nice guy and they have a good group of regulars – a community. Amber was personable and welcoming.

Most of the Top of the Hill reviews are positive and it seems that people really like this laid-back place. People appreciate the low-key atmosphere, the pool tables and old-fashioned beer signs, the friendly staff and karaoke on Friday and Saturday. And they have a good juke box. Two reviews sum it up nicely:

“I love this neighborhood bar! It has a cozy, comfy feel. All of the bartenders have made me feel welcome. Some of them have told me the owner is great to work for and that matters to me. It’s not fancy or extravagant by any means. Just a great place to hang out and get to know your neighbors. (Yelp 2023)

and

“Just a small trashy bar, but it’s my small trashy bar. The food is mediocre at best, and the pool tables are the worst I’ve ever played on, but the experience is like living in an episode of trailer park boys. Nobody is here to impress anyone, so everyone kinda lets their guard down more than usual, it’s a great place to meet people in a very casual setting.” (Restuarant Guru.com) (#5)

And you are not going to find less expensive pub food at many other places with a cheeseburger and side for $6.50 and large basket of fries or onion rings for $5.50. A turkey sandwich with chips rings up for only $7.00 or a skad of wings for $5. Draft beers (a reasonable selection) are $5 to $6 with a buck off during Happy Hour.

Sundays are good with a rib dinner – four ribs with two good sides and bread for $18. Want chicken instead of red meat, well the barbecued chicken dinner, sides and bread is the same deal. (#6)

I mentioned that Hillary graduated from Reed College – a liberal institution with outstanding academic credentials. And the school made Portland headlines recently:

“Reed College students and alumni are grappling with the recent revelation that a campus security official provided federal investigators with personal information about a former student, ultimately resulting in his arrest. The disclosure has sparked significant backlash, particularly given the college’s reputation for inclusivity and its progressive values.

According to court records unsealed last week, FBI agents arrested Robert Jacob Hoopes, a 24-year-old Reed alumnus, on July 25. The records detail how Gary Granger, the college’s director of community safety, accessed an internal database containing personal information about students and alumni to hand over Hoopes’ name, address, and phone number. This cooperation allegedly occurred without a warrant or subpoena.” (Reed College Campus Safety Newsletter) (#7)

Granger was subsequently fired but given the misguided and unnecessary federal intervention to deploy the National Guard, Reed alums are wary that they may have been “identified.”

There have been Blackhawk helicopters flying low over Portland neighborhoods and knowing Hillary might have been in that database, we searched the sky while walking to our cars. (After all she worked many years for a Democrat….)

I have almost avoided political issues on this blog, but these times warrant a comment.

A Trump-appointed federal judge yesterday, temporarily blocked the National Guard deployment to Portland although there is no shortage of masked ICE troops at what have been largely peaceful demonstrations in the last year – basically some individual arrests by the Portland Police.

To put today’s protests into perspective, here’s what the data show:

“Arrests in 2020: 1,071. In 2025: Around 60 over the past four months.

Location in 2020: Across the city. Location in 2025: One to two blocks in South Portland.” (Oregon Live October 5)

Portland faces significant issues – most notably homelessness. The violent and lengthy protests in 2020 were deplorable and our city still bears the scars, but that is clearly not the current situation.

Leave us alone to drink our good coffee and great craft beer and we will continue to work on resolving our problems civilly and locally. (#8 – #9)

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. WordPress generated AI image.

#2. Picsart.com AI (https://picsart.com/create/editor?category=miniapps&prompt=a+black+hawk+helicopter+with+an+x+over+it&projectId=68e1febafa021d2faa2b576d&app=t2i&version=1.86.2).

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

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Earl Blumenauer, official portrait, 116th Congress 2 – Earl Blumenauer – Wikipedia) This United States Congress image is in the public domain. Author: House Creative Services, Kristie Baxter – 16 October 2019.

#5. Yelp photos (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/top-of-the-hill-tavern-portland).

#6. Wanderlog.com (https://wanderlog.com/place/details/3441887/top-of-the-hill-tavern).

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:EliotHallReedCollege.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. Author: User.cacophony – 25 February 2007.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland from Pittock Mansion October 2019 panorama 2.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: King of Hearts – 28 October 2019.

#9. Picsart.com AI (https://picsart.com/create/editor?category=miniapps&prompt=a+black+hawk+helicopter+with+an+x+over+it&projectId=68e1febafa021d2faa2b576d&app=t2i&version=1.86.2).

Guess Who’s Coming to…..Beerchase!!

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

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)

At the end of April, we were delighted to have two separate house guests. Archie, our three-year old grand-pup, visited for ten days from Seattle while his family was on a Hawaiian vacation.

And my old consultant friend with whom I worked at the Schwabe law firm before I retired in 2011 – “West Coast” Dave Hicks – flew in from an east-coast business trip for two days before he returned home to Ventura, Ca.

In the early days of my Beerchasing hobby and over the next five years, Dave was a frequent companion as you can see from the photos below at the Double Barrel, Reel-Em Inn, the Horse Brass Pub, the Richmond Bar, Crackerjacks, Belmont Station and the Ranger Station.

Dave has used his Princeton and University of San Diego Law School education well and is now Chief of Staff at Garnett Capital Advisors – a financial services firm specializing in managing loan portfolio sales for credit-granting institutions.

He is also known to use his experience as a Princeton Nassoon – the university’s oldest acapella group – with his identical-twin brother, to entertain at parties although he refrained from doing this at the dive bars we visited.

We usually toasted one of my first and most memorable Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, the late Dr. Harry Frankfurt – Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Princeton and author of the wonderful essay “On Bullshit.” (#2 – #4)

The Princeton Nassoons in 2008

Some Trepidation…?

Archie had visited and stayed overnight with us in the past, but it was always with his family – Mom and Dad and two young daughters.

Question No. 1: “How would he react to staying with us for ten days?”

Question No. 2: “How would he react to our male out-of-town visitor for a day and one-half? Did he have an aversion to the Ivy League?”

Well, our concerns were short-lived. Archie immediately went over to Dave sitting on the couch and curled up next to him and rolled over to have his stomach rubbed. Dave is a walker and the next day, he and I took Archie on a long walk on which Dave was the main leash holder. And the pup was a prince for his entire stay with us.

Trepidation unwarranted!

Beerchasing

Dave and I had an ambitious agenda. On the Friday afternoon, we drove the twenty-four miles to the Mount Angel Abbey to have some beers at the Benedictine Brewery and St Michael Taproom and say “hello” to Fr. Martin, the Manager and Head Brewer.

Fr. Martin stopped his work to say hello

No brewery will ever surpass my affection for this enterprise on the grounds of the Abbey in Mount Angel Oregon – one of just three owned and operated by Benedictine monks in the US.

Those who follow this blog, may recall that I was involved in the planning and development of the Brewery starting in 2016 until it opened in late 2018 including the amazing event in 2017, when over 125 monks, priests, seminarians and volunteers and members of the Mount Angel community, gathered for an “old-fashioned barn rising.”

As shown in the videos in this post, we started with a cement slab that cloudy morning and by the end of the day, had a framed structure for the brewery and taproom. https://thebeerchaser.com/2017/11/21/the-benedictine-brewery-beam-me-up/ (#5 – #11)

Dave and I had a great sampler of six beers and toured the beautiful Abbey Hilltop including a visit to the famous Alvar Aalto Library before returning to our home in West Linn. (#12 – #13)

Dave had invited Janet and me to dinner the next evening at the Bellpine Restuarant at the top of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown Portland. While Janet spent her Saturday afternoon on a variety of activities, Dave and I drove into Portland for beers at two of my favorite downtown dive bars.

The Yamhill Pub – as I stated in the title of my 2015 blog post https://thebeerchaser.com/2015/05/14/the-yamhill-pub-a-dive-bar-with-character-or-grunge/ the aura of this hole-in-the-wall was best described in the now defunct Portland Barfly Website (another COVID victim…)

“A genuine dive-bar lurking midst the downtown shopping arcade, the Yamhill Pub maintains an unreconstructed seediness through blaring juke, food…(and, for that matter, toilets) best avoided, actively-encouraged graffiti upon the smoke-stained walls, pennies-a-serving pitchers, and a fiercely-protective cadre of underemployed regulars (seniors, rockers, bike messengers) willing to throw themselves in front of Hummers to prevent the forces of gentrification. Intimidating for the first-time visitor, but that’s sort of the point.”

This was my fourth visit to the Yamhill, and I was happy to see that it was still in business. As one regular commented to me in 2015, “Mark my words, this place will be gone in five years and that will be a tragedy.”

Willamette Week reported in November 2020, that Kevin Hill, the owner, launched a $15,000 GoFundMe campaign to raise $15,000 to save the bar – evidently it worked.

But grunge is still the watchword – from the graffiti-infested walls, the bathrooms and even the entrance sign in which the name has become essentially illegible. Look at the difference in the sign over the front door between 2015 and last month!

But as stated in its own Wikipedia page and as affirmed by, Neal, our friendly bartender, the Yamhill Pub, founded in 1939, still retains its legacy for draft PBR. “The bar has been recognized as the top Pabst Blue Ribbon seller in Oregon.”

Not only that, but at one time in the ’90’s they were #5 in North America!! Before I could scoff, he pointed out this PBR sign (see below) from 2012 – Number 18 in North America in PBR sales.

Dave and I chatted with Neal about Portland bars and watched the The Other Guys – a “buddy-action-comedy” movie with Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell and Michael Keaton which was streaming on the of the two small screen TVs hanging at the corners of the bar. (It seemed appropriate given the setting.)

Kelly’s Olympian – We walked around Portland some more – noting how the City was coming back from the depths but still had a way to go – and I suggested we drop into another favorite dive. Kelly’s Olympian, which evolved even before the Yamill (in 1902 – the third oldest Portland bar in continuing operation) has class and a great theme as you will see from the pictures below and this description from their website:

“The crowning glory is the collection of a dozen vintage motorcycles hanging from the ceiling and about, each restored to perfection. One of the owners is a motorcycle enthusiast and finally found a home for his impressive motorcycle collection.

Complementing the motorcycles are other motorcycle accessories, combined with museum quality neon signs, antique gas pumps and historic photos of Portland and motorcycles.”

If you enjoy history, read the full account in my 2015 blog post. Even the name chronicles the legacy:

“The name was derived from the name of one of the original owners, ‘Kelly’, and the Olympia Brewing Company, which was involved in the inaugural opening so that it could sell its product, Olympia Beer. It was originally called ‘The Olympian Saloon’. The name ‘Kelly’s’ was added a few years later…..”

And part of the bar’s historic identity goes back even further. The sections of downtown Portland – mostly in Old Town Chinatown – were known for their “Shanghai Tunnels.” According to Wikipedia, this is really a misnomer, and an urban legend:

“They connected the basements of many hotels and taverns to the waterfront of the Willamette River. They were built to move goods from the ships docked on the Willamette to the basement storage areas, allowing businesses to avoid streetcar and train traffic on the streets when delivering their goods.”

I had seen some of these on a tour by Adam Milne, owner of Old Town Pizza and Brewing, below his establishment in Old Town (right three photos below), but behind the Kelly’s Olympian Bar is a stairway down to the basement (photo on the left).

In my 2015 first visit to the bar, Lucia, the Manager, verified that servers still descend the stairs through the trapdoor behind the bar to get ice and that’s where their kegs are also stored.

We left after Dave refused to believe my story that the 1912 Princeton Student Body President visiting Portland one summer, got drunk at Kelly’s and was last seen being shuttled to a Chinese freighter.

Bellpine at the Top of the Ritz Carlton – We headed to West Linn to pick up Janet and get into our fancier duds and then drove back into Portland where notwithstanding our offer to dine on pub food at a brewery, Dave treated us to a wonderful six-course dinner (plus dessert) at the Bellpine on the 35th floor of the Ritz.

“Led by acclaimed Executive Chef Pedro Almeida, the culinary journey features ingredients indigenous to the region and is accentuated with world-class wine selections and unique spirits crafted by the region’s master distillers.”

Although the opulent bar was sparsely occupied on a Saturday night, the restaurant was hopping and it was a wonderful meal (yes, I drank wine instead of a PBR) and a fitting farewell to Dave who flew out the next morning to his Ventura, Ca. home. (#14 – #16)

Final Note

I chuckled on the way back home about having a bit of culture shock based on our three establishments that day ending with Bellpine after Kelly’s Olympian and beginning at the Yamhill Pub. Perhaps it was tantamount to a high-rise outhouse…..

And unfortunately, the 2019 timing of the development of the Ritz, by noted Portland developer, Walt Bowen, was disastrous. A fascinating March 2025 Willamette Week article charts the history:

“After two huge wins, he was ready to gamble again. A new project, called Block 216, would be his most ambitious ever. It would have five floors of prime office space, a Ritz-Carlton hotel, and 132 Ritz-Carlton condominiums…

That may be the most ill-timed guarantee in the history of Portland real estate. A year later, the world locked down because of COVID-19. Hotels emptied. People fled urban condos for ranch houses in the suburbs…

It appears Bowen’s dream tower will instead be a 460-foot tombstone for his career. As first reported by WW on March 5, the construction lender for Block 216 said in an earnings report that ‘ownership and serial asset disposition on the components would be the best net present value outcome for the loan.’

Translation: take the keys and sell the building in pieces.” (#17)

Well at least Kelly’s and the Yamhill will still be serving good cheap beer!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Garnet Capital Website (https://www.garnetcapital.com/aboutus/management#1)

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:2008NassoonsHolzhaus.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Lhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en – Attribution: Nassoons at English Wikipedia – 5 July 2008.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:On Bullshit cover.jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) This image of simple geometry is ineligible for copyright and therefore in the public domain, because it consists entirely of information that is common property and contains no original authorship. Author: Dr. Harry Frankfurst, Princeton University Press – 2008.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (File:Harry Frankfurt at 2017 ACLS Annual Meeting.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN30Qk9j0bKuWF2ulC9CtVQ – 29 October 2018.

#5 – #11. Benedictine Brewery Website (https://www.benedictinebrewery.com/home-1).

#12 – #13. Mount Angel Abbey Website (https://www.mountangelabbey.org/).

#14 – #17. Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon, May 2024 – 54.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Another Believer – 19 May 2024. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer).

The A and L Sports Pub — A Sporting Chance?

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please click on the title to bring up the post so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

During my thirteen years of Beerchasing where I’ve visited and reviewed over 400 bars and breweries, I’ve presented followers with photos and stories of only four sports bars. I’m just not really enamored with them and they seem somewhat stereotypical.

There are scads of big screen TV’s, trophies and sports memorabilia – a lot of it somewhat tacky – and often boisterous regulars wearing their team jerseys.

I cherish the conversations I’ve had in most of my bar/brewery visits, but sports bar patrons are often immersed in pro or college games and understandably are not eager to engage. Fortunately, I’ve had great Beerchasing companions at the four sports bars shown below – so I didn’t need to meet new people.

Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill (2012) – a classic that closed in 2023 after sixty-five years. It’s now named Suki’s and unfortunately “…a karaoke bar with sports.” (Yeah right…)

The Marathon Taverna (2014) – a boring pseudo sports bar – our visit was saved by great conversations with Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jack Faust and his son, Charlie.

The Independent (2017) – a decent sports bar on SW Broadway in the heart of Portland where we had a robust group including the Faust clan.

The Angry Beaver Bar and Grill in Corvallis (2020) – this great watering hole in the heart of Corvallis was visited before an Oregon State vs. Washington State football game.

Our group included 1967 OSU Giant Killer starters, Billy Main and Steve Preece with his wife, plus the late Dr. Bob Gill along with my fraternity brother and friend of over 50 years, Jud Blakely. (#2)

Why the A and L Sports Pub?

Since I asserted above that I’m not a fan of sports bars, why would I chose the A and L when there are so many other good bars and breweries on my list to visit in the future?

My selection of the bar was based on my recent discovery of classic dive bar, Angelo’s thanks to a connection with Darren Zayman – a part-time bartender.

Both bars are owned by Angelo and Leonor Markantonatos, (thus, the A and L…) who opened Angelo’s in 1996, and before that owned the Vern. Four generations of the family and they have been a fixture in the Portland bar scene for decades.

Darren, first worked at the A and L after talking Angelo into hiring “a guy with absolutely no bar or restaurant experience with a novel sales approach” discussed in my post on Angelo’s. You should visit Angelo’s located in the Barmuda Triangle District on SE Hawthorne.

Darren Zayman (Daz) and Angelo’s regular, Paul

Daz suggested I raise a mug at the A and L, so I did a little research and discovered a peripheral item of interest on the bar in a Willamette Week article dated 2/15/23:

“But the Markantonatoses owe more than $25,000 in property taxes. In a brief phone conversation, Angelo, 91, said he gave the bar to his son, also named Angelo, 57. Angelo the elder says he’s dying, so we didn’t push him for details.

We’d love to talk to Angelo the younger about the tax issue, but he didn’t call us back. Nor did they respond to a message on their hyperactive Facebook page. The bar employee said her boss was ‘scarce’ and ‘hard to pin down.’

Two signs of compliance: The Markantonatos family made a property tax payment of $10,000 on Nov. 15, and another for $4,500 on Feb. 8.”

Beerchasing Companions

Photo Oct 16 2024, 6 15 26 PM

Since I wasn’t focused on meeting new people, I chose two of my favorite Beerchasers to join me – Jim Westwood and Bernie Stea – both lawyers. The last time the three of us had raised a mug together was in 2020 at the Rose City Book Pub. (#3 – #4)

Those who follow this blog, know about Jim Westwood and his amazing background ranging from the Portland State College GE College Bowl, to a stint as a TV weatherman, to service in Navy Intelligence (where he learned Thai) to his distinguished career as an Oregon appellate lawyer.

But Bernie has an incredible background as well.

His Beerchasing exploits besides the Rose City Book Pub were at NEPO 42 and Zarz (gone but not forgotten) both in 2017. We tried for another at the Slow Bar in Portland, but it never happened.

While I was patiently waiting for him while downing an IPA, he called asking where I was, to which I replied, the Slow Bar (on Portland’s east side). He then somewhat sheepishly informed me that he was sitting in the Low Bar (permanently closed after the pandemic) in downtown Vancouver.

In order to salvage his pride, I didn’t remind him that I sent him a link to Slow Bar the day before confirming our lunch appointment. (#5)

My first encounter with Bernie was in 1980, when as the Oregon State Bar’s Financial Manager, I had to question him as the Director of Continuing Legal Education about his CLE department budget. He showed up for the interrogation with his Osborne laptop computer with the budget laid out on a SuperCalc spreadsheet. (Even then, he was an early-adopter of technology.)

As I “attacked” his figures we started a friendly rivalry which entertained Bar staff when we “replicated” the dialogue at all-staff meetings. It became a well-received staged production in the tradition of Jane Curtain and Dan Akroyd on Saturday Night Live.

After Bernie would make a mock eloquent plea as to why his budget should be increased, my reply was:

“Bernie, you ignorant slut!” (#6 – #7)

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=jane+you+ignorant+slut&mid=5ACAC950C589B99D5F685ACAC950C589B99D5F68&FO

In 2017 when he didn’t show up at Slow Bar, I commented to Bernie that he must have used the “Maps Application” on his Osborne. Bernie, however, is one of the smartest and most versatile people I’ve had the privilege to call a friend.

His undergrad days were at the University of Maryland, where he had a double major in Journalism and Engineering (who’s ever heard of that combination….) and then graduation at Maryland’s Francis King Carey School of Law.

He was a member of the distinguished scholastic society Order of the Coif and Law Review, and then worked as a law clerk at the Maryland Court of Appeals. Bernie has repeatedly distinguished himself (other than with his misguided budget presentations)

After jobs at the Oregon State Bar and Portland State University, Bernie has spent the last twenty-five years as a technology guru – helping law firms, start-ups and corporate clients on all facets of electronically stored information, particularly in the context of litigation and investigatory matters and on the legal responsibilities associated with electronic evidence collection, review and production.

And concurrently – for about twelve years – he and his wife – former Portland radio newswoman and anchor, Debb Janes – were managing real estate brokers specializing in family estates on acreage, and multi-generational homes in SW Washington. (#8)

Perhaps that education and experience should give me pause when labeling Bernie an “ignorant slut…” (But probably not….)

But I Digress – Back to the A and L

Now it’s a little bit perplexing why Willamette Week labeled the A and L as a “beloved sports bar,” since they have never featured it in their Annual Best Bar Guide. I guess, however, that a watering hole that for the 2023 Super Bowl offered an “all-you-eat spaghetti and meat sauce with French bread and salad for $15” and is a Pittsburgh Steelers bar will attract a fond following.

And although the exterior is somewhat off-putting, the social media reviews are consistently positive. These three are typical:

“The A&L Burger was de-lish and the fries were on point. Friendly service and great food! We’ll be back soon.” Yelp 3/16/24

“Great people, great service, great drinks, great prices, and 6-10 dart boards set up at a time! What more could you ask for. Also have pool and video lotto.” Yelp 12/26/22

“…..The inside is like night and day from the outside. The place is roomy, has more than a dozen TVs, a whole darts room that is legit, Oregon Lottery, and one of the best cheesesteaks I’ve had in Portland (I’m from Jersey and my wife is from N Philly). The staff has always been nice to me even though I’m not a regular.” Yelp 2/11/23

Photo Oct 16 2024, 4 58 49 PM

The A and L, with its very expansive space, seemed a bit sterile, although it has a great juke box. But to be fair, that’s probably because there were just a handful of patrons on a Wednesday afternoon.

Contrast that with the description on a Sunday morning in 2018 – typical, I assume, during any NFL Sunday:

“First and foremost, they open early on Steeler Sundays, due to the time difference….so we thought we would ‘arrive early’ by getting to the bar at 9:30 am. It was PACKED with Steeler fans already at that point. More than half of this very large sports bar is dedicated to the Steelers and their fans.” Yelp 10/9/18

As a non-lawyer, but one who worked with them for almost forty years, I could share stories with these two counselors who both worked at large competitor firms (Miller Nash and Stoel Rives with my Schwabe Williamson.

It was only when these two intellectual behemoths started waxing eloquent about the rule against perpetuities and how complexity theory understands law as an emergent, self-organizing system that I focused on my $3.50 pint of draft PBR and began thinking of my next dive bar to explore….

Elevated intellects, but still personable!

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. A and L Sports Pub Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=482321133382404&set=a.482321090049075).

#2. Angry Beaver Bar Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=556247892702280&set=a.556247869368949).

#3. Linked-in – Bernie Stea (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardstea/).

#4. Linked-in – Jim Westwood (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-westwood-60881a2b6/).

#5. USArestuarants.info. (Low Bar | 809 Washington St, Vancouver, WA 98660, USA).

#6. Oregon State Bar Twitter ((1) Oregon State Bar (@OregonStateBar) / X)

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:Osborne 1 open.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Bilby – 8 August 2010.

#8 Debb Janes Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10226418497269717&set=pb.1262110102.-2207520000&type=3).

Pythagoras and the Bard at Angelo’s

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

There are still a lot of dive bars in Portland – certainly not as many as when I started my Beerchasing trek in 2011 – but Angelo’s (not Saloon or Bar – just Angelo’s) which I hadn’t discovered until last week, is a classic.

And I was quite surprised, given my hobby, that Angelo’s – located on SE 46^th and Hawthorne, had never appeared on my radar, nor had its “sister bar” A & L Sports Pub – also owned by Angelo Markantonatos. I never found it listed in Willamette Week’s annual best bars publication which has been a primary research source.

It was even more surprising since it’s in the heart of Portland’s Bar-muda Triangle – a phenomenon that I haven’t really addressed in this blog for at least twelve years, since discovering it on one of my first Beerchasing visits in 2012 at the notable Bar of the Gods.

That was followed less than a half-year later when I raised a mug with Beerchaser notable, Jim Westwood, at the Tanker Bar – on the same block as Bar of the Gods. Alas, the Tanker’s armor was insufficient to withstand the pandemic’ mortars and it’s no longer with us. (Note the prices on the BOG’s blackboard below.)

As you will see below, I loved Angelo’s and the description from Portland Monthly is spot on:

“Looking for a bar with a relaxed atmosphere, laid-back feel, with friendly service and ‘real’ people? If so, visit Angelo’s and enjoy some cheap beer, play some tunes on the juke box, or challenge your friend to a game of pool.”

The Urban Dictionary describes Portland’s Bar-muda Triangle as:

“…an area of bars that collectively saturate the SE Hawthorne Arts District at the base of Mt Tabor.”

That said, the same source also describes similar watering-hole saturated areas as being in Eugene, Oregon (the intersection of Olive and West Broadway) and in Lawrence near the University of Kansas.

Then there’s the Beer-muda Triangle in Missoula, Montana. And at one time in the late ‘60’s, before the SAE House at Oregon State went alcohol free, it could easily have referenced a group of rooms on the first floor of the house study wing. (I graduated in 1970,)

Not that the topic is debated frequently, but in a Willamette Week article from May 11^th entitled Douchebags Not Allowed in Car Free Zone..” the paper asserts that Portland’s Bar-muda is located in the Old Town neighborhood on the west side, near Voodoo Donuts.” (That’s the first time in thirteen years, I’ve used the term “douchebag” in this blog.)

Regardless of the location, it is appropriate to label any Bar-muda Triangle as a “Stumble Zone.” (#3)

The Stumble Zone?

Perhaps the dilemma is resolved based on info gleaned at the “wisegeek” website stating:

“ A Bar-muda Triangle is an area where the concentration of bars is especially high. The number of bars located within an area known as a bar-muda triangle may be greater than three, of course, and sometimes an area with only two bars may be colloquially termed a bar-muda triangle. You may also hear a bar-muda triangle referred to as a beer-muda triangle.”

Pardon the digression, but before we get back to Angelo’s just a few more references which would make Pythagoras smile. (#4)

Try Triangle Theory beer from Lighthouse Brewery in Victoria BC or Emerald Triangle IPA from Eel River Brewery in Fortuna California or for a different slant on things try Hypotenuse IPA from Napa Smith Brewery in Vallejo, CA. Perhaps Triangle Brewing in Durham, North Carolina has all of them on tap. (Okay, I’ll stop…)

The good news is that should you get pulled over in any of the Bar-muda Triangles, the officer, rather than putting you through sobriety tests, will just ask you to state the formula for the area of an isosceles triangle which everyone know is 1/2 × Base × Height…(#5 – #7)

Now Back to Angelo’s

In late May, I got an e-mail from Darren Zayman (Daz) who saw the blog and told me that for a long time, he’d wanted to own or operate a bar. He thought it might be fun and interesting to meet and chat at the bar where he was working – Angelo’s.

I’ve met some wonderful people while Beerchasing and jumped at the opportunity to both meet another one and visit a new bar, although with scheduling issues, we didn’t accomplish that until September 25th. I assumed from our e-mail exchanges that Darren would be an interesting and engaging personality, and I was correct. (#8)

As I walked in, Darren gave a hearty “Hey Don,” greeting. He was off-duty and sitting at the end of the bar and introduced me to Paul, an Angelo’s regular and, Lena, the part-time bartender. For the next forty-five minutes the four of us shared stories and we reflected on Angelo’s and the bars – present and past – in the Bar-muda Triangle.

Daz has an artistic background and has worked for years as a self-employed technical illustrator. At one time he thought of doing illustrations of every bar in Portland – one reason he came across Thebeerchaser.com. (#9 – #12)

“I’ve lived in Shanghai, China and Washington, but I consider ‘Hawthorne’as home. I attended nearby Mount Tabor Middle School and grew up here.”

He stated that to fulfill his goal of working (and eventually owning a bar) last year he sent out at least forty resumes for bartending jobs. As one might expect, with zero experience, he got zero callbacks. But Daz was not to be deterred, and you will see how this guy is motivated and has a great sales personality.

Darren always “liked the vibe” at the A and L Sports Pub at 59th and NE Glisan, so about a year ago, he hand-delivered a letter addressed to the owner. (The A and L is also owned by Angelo.) The substance of the letter was as follows:

“I want to work for you, and I think you should hire me as I would be a great employee. Since I have no experience, I will pay you $50 daily for the first week and work for free the second week. Then you can judge whether you want to retain me.”

Angelo, who Darren described as somewhat of a gruff Greek guy, responded, “Come in. I’m busy and on the move, but I want to meet you and find out what’s your deal!” (#13 – #15)

So, Darren got the job and started working – barbacking and no bartending – with absolutely no instructions. “I was hustling,” he laughed. After less than a month, Angelo came to him and said, “I’ve got a job at another bar I own on Hawthorne. If you want it, it’s yours.”

He started working Monday and Tuesday nights and a lot of Saturdays because the female bartender usually didn’t show up. And he learned bartending the hard way.

His first order was for a “tequila and pineapple juice.” Darren poured them together and the guy, after gulping it down said, “I meant a shot of each separately, now you have to give me a free one.” Darren diplomatically refused as Angelo, sitting at the end of the bar observed laughing.

Lena – a personable bartender

Lena, the personable part-time bartender has worked for fifteen years at a number of Portland bars and attended Oregon State before graduating from the University of Oregon. Graduation was followed by three months of travel to multiple countries. She loves working at Angelo’s and remembers when there was a stage and they had great live music.

Sitting next to DAZ, drinking a Rainier Tall Boy, was a guy named Paul. He offered his left hand to shake and said that he was a carpenter but injured his right hand and was recuperating. I detected a slight accent and inquired to which he responded, “I’m from Belfast.”

Darren said, “Paul has been an Angelo’s regular for decades”, and he had stories from many of the dive bars in Portland and was a great conversationalist.

Darren and Paul (from Belfast!)

One of the bars we discussed was the Cheerful Tortoise – near the Portland State campus and which I first reviewed in 2012. DAZ remembered going there as a little kid because his stepdad, who was the Chair of the Geography Department at Portland State, (his mom also worked for the Department) would have meetings there. Lena also mentioned that it was the first bar she ever frequented.

Angelo’s has a good selection of draft and bottled beers and DAZ or Lena will make you a great cocktail. It has had a history of great food with a restaurant in the adjacent and connected space – first a Portuguese restaurant named Fado Portuguese Kitchen and then a Greek bistro named Kouzina at Angelo’s – first opened in 2017.

Since February, however, the space is occupied by Michael’s Italian Beef and Sausage Company – a treasured Portland eatery that’s been around for almost fifty years and lost its lease on Sandy Blvd. Portland Monthly offered this description:

“…But that’s just part of the charm at this very un-Portland sandwich shop, where hot hoagie rolls are stuffed with Chicago-style Italian roast beef sliced thin, marinated in its own juicy gravy, and covered in sautéed peppers and onions; or with home-baked meatballs served ‘pizza-style’ in tomato sauce; or with deliciously gut-busting Italian sausages.”

Photo Sep 25 2024, 5 06 47 PM

And in Closing

Two final stories which are evidence that Angelo’s has both the ambiance and character of the dives I love.

Typical classic dive bar fixtures are pool tables, foosball, Big Buck Hunter, classic pinball machines and a great juke box. Angelo’s has all of them – even two foosball machines. As Paul described it:

“One is the ‘People’s’ table and one is the ‘Elite machine. People know which one they should play and which one to avoid.”

While we were reminiscing about Bar-muda dives, a guy named Jeff, who identified himself as an out-of-town regular, told us that he overheard our stories and needed to add a tale:

“One time my friend and I were here and playing at the Elite foosball machine. A one-armed guy came up and challenged my friend. Unbelievably, he used his foot in lieu of his other hand and proceeded to decimate my friend in a game.”

The Bard

Dive bars and Shakespeare? Are you kidding? Well, think again and take a look at Willamette Weeks, January 2024 article:

“How can a theater company make a 400-plus-year-old play feel fresh? Speculative Drama’s answer is to perform Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, under the direction of Myrrh Larsen, not on a stage but in a dive bar—specifically Angelo’s on Southeast Hawthorne.”

As Angelo’s customers sit or stand amid a buzz of conversation, recorded music and clinking ice, the voice of Orsino, Duke of Illyria begins the show by rising over the din, saying, ‘If music be the food of love, play on…’

So what if there’s a Big Buck Hunter arcade game behind him and the red and blue lights of a Pabst sign in the next room? Orsino looks as if he belongs in Angelo’s as he strides through the crowd, drinking from a tall glass with a green straw. In this environment, even his iambic pentameter sounds as natural as water rippling over rocks.

…..The show ends with the joyful spectacle of the entire cast cutting loose and singing karaoke.” (#15 – #17)

Darren said that each of the ten nights it played, “Twelfth Night” sold out. The actors were integrated with the bar patrons – it was immersive – one never knew when the guy next to you would become part of the play.

Cheers

To the four generations of Angelo Markantonatos family, who opened Angelo’s in 1996, and before that owned the Vern and who have been a fixture in the Portland bar scene for decades.
To Angelo II who had the foresight to give a motivated young man (DAZ) with no experience, an opportunity to become a valued employee in his organization.
To Darren, for his optimism and spirit and reaching out to Thebeerchaser.
To the one-armed foosball player.

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pythagorean.svg)
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: en:User:Wapcaplet – 12 July 2005.

#2. Angelo’s Facebook Site (https://www.facebook.com/photobid=1516916419212450&set=a.969082117329219)

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:Pythagoras. Etching by F. L. D. Ciartres after (C. V.). Wellcome V0004826.jpg – Wikimedia Commons Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Author: https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/0b/3e/c616f20a08ce6126931867fe5320.jpg.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (File:A drunken man with a bottle at his side in a field MET DP869600.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Source: (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/735378)

#5. Triangle Theory Beer – First State Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/firststatebrewing)

#6. Eel River Brewing Websit (Emerald Triangle IPA 16oz Can Product Shot Mockup – Transparent BG | Eel River Brewing)

#7. Triangle Beer from Untapped (brewery-414414_ec6e6_hd.jpeg (500×500) (untappd.com)

#8 – #12. Courtesy Darren Zayman.

#12 – #14. A and L Sports Pub Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/AnLsportspub)

#15. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Daniel Maclise (1806-1870) – Scene from ‘Twelfth Night’ (‘Malvolio and the Countess’) – N00423 – National Gallery – Twelfth Night – Wikipedia) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1929. Author: Daniel Maclise (1806- 1870).

#16. Willamette Week – January 9, 2024 (Speculative Drama Performs William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” at Local Dive Bar Angelo’s (wweek.com)).

#17. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Sir Toby Belch coming to the assistance of Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Houghton c.1854) – Twelfth Night – Wikipedia) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1929. Author: Arthur Boyd Houghton (1836–1875) – Circa 1854.

Brawlers and Mockers – The Distinction

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

A Terminology Issue – Was it the Beer?

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)

In a recent entry in my daily devotional, the author illustrated his point by quoting Proverbs 20:1:

“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”

Reading this led me on one of my typical internet research projects which my wife says occupy far too much of my free time, although it was prompted by a recent NBC.com article entitled:

” Morgan Wallen arrested after throwing chair from rooftop of Nashville bar, police say.” (#2)

Is an encounter with a chair, a brawl?

And while this incident was not a brawl per se’, it was not his first encounter with police because of scuffles with others:

“Wallen was arrested around 11 p.m. Sunday night outside Chief’s on Broadway, a Nashville honky-tonk bar that his fellow country musician Eric Church opened in March.

Per a police report, officers were standing outside the bar when a chair landed intact on the ground several feet from them. Staff members reportedly told the officers Wallen had thrown the chair from six stories above…” (emphasis added)

Since it involved a bar, I obviously was curious. Chief’s on Broadway, opened just in April, evidently celebrates the career of Eirc Church and has about 4,000 posters from his country-western singing career.

It may well be the tallest bar in the United States:

“Chief’s is a six-story bar, restaurant, event space, and live music venue designed to celebrate Eric Church’s ever-expanding musical legacy.

Located in historic downtown Nashville, Chief’s will feature a ticketed music venue, inspirational interiors, and a thoughtful focus on unique live performances, offering fans an unparalleled entertainment experience in Music City.” MusicCity.com (#3 – #4)

Given the short duration since opening, there are only three Yelp reviews so far, but it’s obvious, the rooftop incident will play for some time:

“Super nice bar and good drinks. Almost gave it 4 stars (rather than five) because the chairs are so light and tossable.” Yelp – April 8, 2024

Before leaving this thread, a few more comments on the distinction between beer and wine as illustrated by quotes:

“Beer is made by men, wine by God.” – Martin Luther

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” – Benjamin Franklin

And my favorite which is unattributed except I located it in an ad on the website of the Sherlock Holmes British Pub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

“Beer, because one doesn’t solve the world’s problems over white wine.”

Of course, we shouldn’t give short shrift to whiskey and Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw, no stranger to controversy, who opined: (#5)

“Whisky is liquid sunshine.”

Who better than an Irishman to know….

Not many dives I’ve been to have served wine. If it were available and could lead to “mocking” as the scripture asserts, it might result in a brawl with those consuming quantities of beer. (#6)

Here’s to Solving World Problems

I was also struck that an internet search reveals a number of athletic teams named “Brawlers.” I assume that their post-game libation is beer.

The Boston Brawlers – a football team based in Harvard Stadium – a charter member of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) – a professional football minor league that played just two seasons in 2014 and 2015.

The Bricktown Brawlers – a professional indoor football team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They were a member of the Lonestar Division of the Intense Conference in the Indoor Football League (IFL).

And one I don’t really understand:

The Philadelphia Brawlers a team that plays in Division III of Blitz: The League II – an American football video game. (#7)

In contrast, I didn’t find any athletic team named “Mockers” – only two bands – one a pop band from New Zealand that performed from 1979 to 1988 and Los Mockers – a 1960 rock band from Uruguay.

The latter, pictured below, do not look like they could hold their own in a brawl… (#8)

I won’t mention The Mocker – comic book character

Moving on to Another Legendary Country Singer

I have rather eclectic taste in the music I listen to – ranging from Big Band, Classical (especially with beautiful oboe solos, Christian instrumental, 1960’s rock-n-roll and last but not least, old-time country western.

This is not the contemporary western pop, but renowned vocalists like the four shown clockwise below:

George Jones, Alan Jackson, Hank Williams and Don Williams. (And no, I can’t sing a decent version of either Amanda or Tulsa Time.…) (#9- #12)

Well, one of these crooners recently passed away. The legendary Toby Keith died in February 2024 of stomach cancer. Although not an ardent fan of his songs, I was captivated by his songs, “Beer for My Horses” as well as the 2003 single “I Love This Bar” – it reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks.

Keith released nineteen studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums, totaling worldwide sales of over forty-million albums.

He charted sixty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including twenty number-one hits and twenty-two additional Top-Ten hits. (Wikipedia) (#13)

Country Music Hall of Fame

I love this bar
It’s my kind of place
Just walkin’ through the front door
Puts a big smile on my face
It ain’t too far
Come as you are
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

The song captures perfectly the sentiments I felt when I decided to start my Beerchasing hobby in 2011, as stated in an article entitled:

“The Meaning Behind The Song: I Love This Bar,” in the blog Oldtimemusic.com (#14)

“Just walking through the front door puts a big smile on my face.”

“The song is about finding a sense of belonging and comfort in a local bar. Keith sings about all the different types of people that frequent the bar, from bikers to college kids, and how they all come together to have a good time.

The chorus of the song proclaims Keith’s love for the bar, stating that it has everything he needs, from cold beer to good company. The lyrics paint a picture of a place where everyone can let loose and forget about their troubles.

I became more interested after I started a data base on bar articles. It caught my attention that Toby Keith’s bars were having some problems other than what might be caused by unruly patrons.

I kept seeing headlines such as those below:

Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar abruptly closes Bring Me The News – June 25, 2015

Rascal Flatts restaurants failed nationwide. Did a Mafia soldier pull the strings? The Republic March 13, 2029

Former crime boss, owner of defunct Toby Keith restaurant in Foxboro pleads guilty to fraud Arizona Sun Chronicle – August 13, 2021

Toby Keith’s Restaurant Chain Was Once Involved in a Wire Fraud Scheme by an Ex-Crime Boss Distractify – MSN 2024 (#15 – #16)

Fans of the late singer will be happy to know that Keith was not the owner. Rather his song was the inspiration for the bar and his name licensed by Boomtown Entertainment. Toby Keith evidently did make surprise visits to franchises, where he performed and socialized with fans. (Wikiepedia)

The ownership by Boomtown was under the control of one Frank Capri. (see below).

The story is too complex to convey here, but you might check out the links above and it can be summarized by stating that after his death and a series of closures and scads of lawsuits, only two locations of “I Love this Bar” remain open – both in Oklahoma and neither of which is now owned by Boomtown Entertainment.

“Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill offered mall owners a special recipe. Equal parts eatery, roadhouse and concert hall, it promised steady foot traffic during the day and an after-hours bonanza of drinking and dancing. It proved to be a recipe for financial disaster.

Combined, four Arizona developers won $13.1 million in judgments against Capri and his companies. Greenville joined a list of 19 other cities from coast to coast where Boomtown said it would build Toby Keith restaurants that never opened.

Those cities included Anaheim, Colorado Springs, Jacksonville, Boise, New Orleans, Lansing, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, San Antonio and Portland, Oregon.” Greenville News – 11/1/2027 (#17)

Toby_Keith's_in_Las_Vegas

“Capri’s Phoenix companies built 20 Toby Keith restaurants beginning in 2009 and announced plans to build 20 more that never opened. By 2015, all but one had closed. Allegations of fraud and theft followed.

In lawsuits, developers claimed he stiffed contractors, broke lease agreements and took millions of dollars meant to pay for construction.” (Arizona Republic – 3/13/2019)

As has happened many times when celebrities collaborate with entrepreneurs (and mobsters…) the result is not positive.

The story essentially ends as reported March 2022 in City Beat – a Cincinnati publication:

“Frank Capri, a former mobster turned government witness turned developer who scammed The Banks with a Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill-branded restaurant, was sentenced last week to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion.”

I guess as one of the verses in the song goes, a lot of investors and contractors came out on the short end:

We got winners
We got losers
Chain-smokers and boozers
We got yuppies
We got bikers
We got thirsty hitchhikers
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar (#18)

“We got losers….

Cheers

Internal Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Aaron Burden 2016-05-02 (Unsplash 1EbsMYrAu-s).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author: Aaron Burden aaronburden – 2 May 2016.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Morgan Wallen Concert November 13 landscape.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Paul to my Linda – 13 November 2021

#3. Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083809501460).

#4. Music City.com (Chief’s on Broadway | Visit Nashville TN (visitmusiccity.com).

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Bernard_Shaw_1936.jpg) This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired and its author is anonymous. Author: Anonymous – 1936.

#6. Image courtesy of Pam Williams

#7. Flickr’s Common (File:Brawl.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image was taken from Flickr‘s The Commons. The uploading organization may have various reasons for determining that no known copyright restrictions exist. Author: British Library 7 December 2013.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Los Mockers by Olga Masa, 1965 – Los Mockers – Wikipedia) This image is in the public domain because the copyright of this photograph, registered in Argentina, has expired. Author: Olga Masa – 1965.

#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:George Jones.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Secisek at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. Author: Secisek at English Wikipedia – June 2002.

#10. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Alan jackson at pentagon.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense 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 in the United States.

#11. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Hank Williams publicity.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: MGM Records – 1952

#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (By DJParker39 at English Wikipedia. – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14549573) DJParker39 at English Wikipedia – 5 November 2006.

#13. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Toby Keith in concert.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. Author: Lenny Francioni – 31 August 2005.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (File:Saloon San Francisco 2014 (15278844981).jpg – Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license). Author: Mobilus In Mobili – 14 May 2014.

#15. Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar – Bricktown Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TobyKeithsBar).

#16. Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar – Bricktown Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/LowerBricktown/photos/t.100064824877178/10156417149528039/?type=3).

#17. Wikimedia Commons (File:Toby Keith’s in Las Vegas.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: David Shane – 11 July 2018.

#18. Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan-exterior-toby.JPG) The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted. Author: ArizonaLincoln – 3 March 2010.

The Gold Medal of Dives

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

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)

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:

s-l1600

“….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

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.

Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

And Speaking of Iconic,,,

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)

Chicken_Wings_(7069003341)

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!

336549594_177389621312233_7615251289821476739_n

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)

Pam 10

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

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

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.

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

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)