Stride-for-Stride with Seattle Brew?

Posted on June 18, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

800px-Rainier_and_Olympic_Beers_(1895)_(ADVERT_408)

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 so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1 – #3)

Nostalgia…

When I started Thebeerchaser blog in 2011, the goal was to visit and review bars and breweries just in the Portland metropolitan area. I figured with hundreds to choose, I would have new options for years. However, we started traveling in retirement…

Janet and I could not resist the allure of watering holes throughout the State of Oregon and then when we took some road trips – across the country. We even hit a few, as you can see from the photos below, in our 2013 Rick Steve’s Best of Europe Tour where we visited six countries in twenty-one days.

These included the Devils Forest Pub and Bacaro Jazz in Venice, Amsterdam’s historic Café Karpershoek and the Horner Pub in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

We can’t forget the Miscellanea Pub in Rome and one of our favorites – Hell’s Tavern (Zur Höll) in Rautenberg, Germany – as one reviewer stated, “I didn’t think Hell would be so awesome!”

Others included the Publican Pub in Beaune, France and in Vernazza, Italy (The Cinque’ Terra) – the Blue Marlin Bar..

So I abandoned the logo that Teresa Lovegren, my former assistant, so generously provided when I started Beerchasing and prevailed upon my fraternity brother and friend of almost sixty years, Jud Blakely, to design a new logo.

Jud’s great effort has stood the test of time although my hair color has changed slightly.

But in reminiscing recently, I realized that although I’ve visited and reviewed over 400 watering holes, throughout the USA, only a handful of those have been in my neighboring state – Washington.

Perhaps one reason is my older daughter, Lisa and her husband, Jamie, who live in Lake Forest Park have two beautiful granddaughters and although Beerchasing is an avid pursuit, it would never replace time we can spend seeing these two little angels.

On one of our trips in 2012, before the granddaughters came along, we visited The Pour House in Port Townsend and then not another pub in the Evergreen State until 2016 when we stopped at the Ice Harbor Brewery in Kennewick on the way to a wedding in Coeur d’Alene.

Then a three-year lapse until a visit to the Loowit Brewery in downtown Vancouver – right across the Columbia River from Portland.

I was with my retired colleague “General” Larry Paulson, who I first met as a lawyer when we both worked in the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt firm. He then served with distinction as the Executive Director of the Port of Vancouver when we

We affectionally called him “General” because he also had a career and retired as a Brigadier General in the Oregon Air National Guard. (#4 – #5)

Assuming you’re still with me on this Beerchase down Memory Lane, fast forward to a trip in the fall of 2019 when we visited Lisa and her family. Her husband, Jamie, his brother, Rob and dad, Jon and I hit the historic Caroline Tavern and then had dinner at Elliot Bay Brewery’s Lake City Pub. (#6)

2019-07-22 20.10.07

I finished that trip the next night with a memorable visit to Daphne’s in Edmonds in which I got to meet the legendary bartender, Desmond van Rensberg.

The bar is a hole-in-wall, but Desmond’s personality radiates and seems to expand the structure! (#7 – #9)

Coming out of COVID

Jump ahead four years and the full-scale resumption of Beerchasing after the pandemic waned. Another Seattle trip provided an opportunity to visit two new establishments.

The granddaughters were both in school, so it didn’t interfere with my time to visit them and see a swim meet, a piano recital and marvel at their wonderful personalities.

As happens on a number of occasions, the enjoyment of spending time with my Beerchasing companions heightened the discovery of a new bar or brewery – in this case Salish Sea Brewing Pub in Edmonds and Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar in Bothell.

Salish Sea Brewing

Salish Sea Brewing is owned by a husband and wife team – Jeff and Erika Barnett who started their enterprise in 2013 and were foresighted when they purchased American Brewery.

They acquired a competitor brewery and taproom including brewing equipment – a short distance away in Edmonds – in 2021 American struggled during the pandemic.

“The purchase of American was made possible by Salish Sea’s ability to navigate the pandemic. The brewery’s downtown location resulted in regular walk-up business and, despite having a limited distribution network, Salish Sea made use of 32-ounce mason jars to sell beer-to-go.”

The brewing equipment was moved down the street to what is now the Salish Sea Boathouse near Edmond’s picturesque waterfront. (#10 – #11)

The brewpub was very pleasant and it’s obvious from the reviews and just observing, that they have built a loyal community in and around Edmonds. Dawn, our friendly server, told us about a running club which uses the pub as a base and it is definitely family oriented.

I was there with my colleague on the Board of the Abbey Foundation of Oregon, Rex Wardlaw who lives in Edmonds although he and his wife migrate to Kona for most of the bad weather months in Washington – a good portion of the year.

I didn’t eat but Rex had a great looking green salad and we split a gigantic soft pretzel ($11). Salish has a good varied menu of moderately priced pub food ranging from soups, salads, burgers, flatbreads and standbys such as Fish & Chips and Mac & Cheese in addition to a nice kid’s menu.

Photo May 24 2023, 2 36 40 PM

I didn’t bother to write down the specific beers either of us had, but we were able to choose from eleven of Salish’s own beers and both of us enjoyed our drafts.

As was the case with my Beerchasing companion the next day at lunch, I always learn a lot from just listening to Rex who had a remarkable career in investment banking and wealth management – one reason he is now Chair of the Abbey’s Investment Committee which manages its endowment fund.

He ran his own investment research and consulting company for ten years after retiring as managing director/portfolio manager at Wells, US Trust and then First Republic.

Rex attended NW Nazarene Collège and then earned his MBA at the University of Oregon. (#12 – #16)

And Rex’s self demands are not modest. For example, in 2015, he successfully completed the Swiss Jura Challenge on a 4000 feet of daily climbing.

Rex is a man of faith – he also completed two pilgrimages – hiking the Portuguese Caminho from Lisbon to Santiago, Spain in 2018.

He followed with the Via Francigena Pilgrimage from Canterbury, UK to Roma, Italia in 2022 – solo hiking the first 560 miles of the VF, a pilgrimage route incorporating parts of the ancient Roman Road across France and Switzerland.

As we were leaving the brewpub, Rex asked me if I wanted to go for a twenty-mile jog to work off our beer and pretzel. I politely demurred…

Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar

When Jon Magnusson asked me if I wanted to go to lunch at Stack 571 in Bothell, I was curious about the derivation of the name. A bit of internet searching revealed that it’s named after the ASARCO smokestack – once the world’s largest which had an interesting demise according to Historylink.org.

“At 12:40 p.m. on January 17, 1993, demolition experts collapse the landmark American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO) smokestack as part of a Superfund toxic cleanup of the old copper smelter in Ruston.

As many as 100,000 people gather to witness the detonation that, with one push of a plunger, sets off charges that in eight seconds reduces the structure to rubble and dust.” (#17)

2_DMDHPA_asarco

I wondered why the bar’s President and Operating Partner, Attila Szabo, chose that symbol for the name of his new venture in 2016.

(Further searching revealed that it is because their burgers are “stacked” or tall). They have five locations including Vancouver, WA and emphasize organic, free-range and locally sourced ingredients.

Just as Rex Wardlaw’s intellect and experience is worth noting, my older daughter’s father-in-law always makes a very stimulating dining companion.

While Jon ate one of the Stack’s good cheeseburgers (single patty…) I had a chicken sandwich with what I assume was a diminutive chicken. The French fries and onion rings were delicious, although I don’t know under what conditions they were grown.

Jon Magnusson is now a Senior Principal with the Magnusson Klemencic Associates structural engineering firm which he joined in 1976 and:

“….advanced to CEO, and ultimately Chairman of the Board, a role he held for 18 years. Now a Senior Principal, Jon has been structural engineer-in-charge for over $2.5 billion of construction in the last 10 years alone.

He has worked on projects in 47 states and 49 countries, including major sports stadiums, healthcare facilities, signature convention centers, and high-rise buildings.

Over the course of his career, Jon has been an invited speaker for over 240 presentations and participated in more than 100 media interviews.”

Jon also donates a lot of time and travels extensively for professional associations. He’s a second generation Washington Husky (both his son and my daughter share the same alma mater) and we always enjoy talking about the Pac12.

The one football game I attended with him in Seattle (in the renovated and expanded Husky Stadium that his firm managed as they did when it expanded in 1982), the Huskies clobbered my Beavers.

This was also the case when son, Jamie, and I attended the same rivalry in 2019 in Reser Stadium in Corvallis. (Jon’s firm also did the work on the expansion and improvement of Reser at OSU last year.) (#18 – #21)

The MKS portfolio includes NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, MLB, and collegiate projects where they have provided engineering services to 56 major facilities.

These include Safeco Field and Lumen Field in Seattle as well as Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (Home of the 49’ers and Guangzhou International Arena in China to name a few.

Stack 571 had about fifteen beers on tap including three of their own although they say nothing about their brewing capabilities on their website.

But what intrigued Jon and me is the claim that their selection of whiskeys exceeds 100 although the sign at Bothell indicated 179! The availability of a “Whiskey Passport “ may merit a return trip(s). (#22 – #23)

Since there was still time before the granddaughters got home from school, Jon asked if I wanted to come over and review the engineering stress equation (σ =F/A0). I politely demurred….

In closing…

I started this long post with some nostalgia including three historic images of Seattle breweries that were a mainstay during my college years – Rainer and Olympia.

I realized that my Beerchasing adventures in Washington and more specifically, Seattle, have lacked energy and will do my best in the future to stay “Stride-for-Stride with Seattle Brew.” (#24)

750px-Seattle_Slew

External Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Olympia Beer (1906) (ADVERT 444).jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) 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, 1928. Author: Olympia Brewing Co. 8 May 1906.

#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Rainier and Olympic Beers (1895) (ADVERT 408).jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) 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, 1928. Author: Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. 18 May 1895.

#3. Public Doman – Wikimedia Commons (File:Rainier Beer (1903) (ADVERT 65).jpeg – Wikimedia Commons) 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, 1928. Author: Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. 19 December 1903

#4. The Columbian (https://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/29/port-of-vancouver-paulson-pleased-with-what-hes-le/?print) 29 April 2012.

#5. Oregon Live (https://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/2011/03/port_of_vancouver_head_larry_paulson_will_retire_next_year

_deputy_named_next_executive_director.html)

#6. Caroline Tavern Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057254417974&sk=photos).

#7. Facebook Desmond Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=363412525792143&set=pb.100063701944401.-2207520000.&type=3

#8. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3800244813342206&set=pb.100063701944401.-2207520000. exterior

#9. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=398421555624573&set=pb.100063701944401.-2207520000.&type=3 interior

.#10. Facebook – Salish Sea Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=708879491245450&set=pb.100063702153820.-2207520000).

# 11. Facebook – Salish Sea Brewing (https://www.facebook.com/SalishSeaBrewingCompany/photos/pb.100063702153820.-2207520000./1877741669009209/?type=3

#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jura_Mountains#/media/File:Juragebirge.JPG) This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that “NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted”. Author: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC 22 October 2002.

#13. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trek_820_(9518781581).jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: order_242 from Chile 3 August 2013.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Way#/media/File:Caminos_Santiago_actuales.svg) By Paulusburg – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74883466.

#15. Wikimedia Commons (map) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Francigena#/media/File:VF_Ruta_completa_con_principales_poblaciones.svg.) By Paulusburg – Own work con los datos proporcionados por Cristina Menghini [1]; Switzerland Mobility [2] y AEVF [3], CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45235532.

#16. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Francigena#/media/File:Via-Francigena-Signposts-In-Italy-2012.jpg) By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen – Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23161344

#17. Washington Department of Ecology – Ruston Smoke Stack (http://(https://www.historylink.org/File/8744)

#18. – #19. Magnusson Klemencic Website (https://www.mka.com/people/)

#20. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Husky_Rugby_Club_at_University_of_Washington.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Will.Wheaton.Rugby.Arch 22 January 2022.

# 21. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:University_of_Washington_Block_W_logo_RGB_brand_colors.SVG ) 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, 1928. Author: University of Washington 1902.

#22. – #23 Stack 571 Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10100790612460240&set=br.Abr-8zKssI_mhXble6zBKuoRiIiSOQqkUegvw5UcOldoULcofb7Pegw)

24. Wikimedia Commons (File:Seattle Slew.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Pawneese 7 September 2015.

The Helvetia Tavern

Posted on September 10, 2022 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 above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

Visitors from out-of-state often inquire, “What classic watering hole should we check out?” In Oregon, one will often hear the response, “The Helvetia Tavern.” This quaint rural bar was established in 1946 and has been a favorite of both locals and tourists ever since.

Whether one is from out-of-state, on a country ride by auto or cycling or just making a short stop off Highway 26 on the way to the Oregon Coast, it’s a destination with a reputation that draws robust crowds especially in Oregon’s good weather months.

So when our friends, John and Barb Senger, from Boulder, Colorado came to town recently for Barb’s and my wife, Janet’s 50th McMinnville High School Class Reunion, they asked for a Beerchasing recommendation. The Sengers immediately agreed that we should try the Helvetia Tavern although they’d been there before. Janet hadn’t been there since shortly after college.

I’m a bit embarrassed to say that although it’s been many years since I became eligible to raise a mug in its legendary quarters, I’d never been there.

The Sengers both had outstanding careers in educational administration and in retirement, we have visited them both in Boulder and Pueblo Colorado where John has relatives. His daughter, Cassy, is married to Kirk Taylor, the Sheriff of Pueblo County and they were wonderful Beerchasing companions in a pre-pandemic trip..

And besides the highlight of seeing the Oregon State Beavers beat the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder in a thrilling overtime victory for the Beavs on a perfect autumn day in 2018, we’ve visited some memorable bars and bistros together. (John is also known to make a great martini……)

Our favorite was The Sink, a famous, historic dive just off the University of Colorado campus, once visited by President Obama. His unannounced visit on a 2012 campaign trip resulted in a new pizza – The POTUS Pie. Although I digress, some info about this and some of the other bars is context for my comments on The Helvetia below.

Helvetia is a small unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon along Highway 26 about forty-five minutes from Portland. According to Wikipedia:

“It was named by Swiss immigrants to Oregon in the 19th century. Notable features are the church, cemetery, the Rice Rocks and Minerals Museum, Helvetia Vineyards and Winery, Roloff Farms, and the Helvetia Tavern.”

When a cemetery and a church are enumerated as “notable features,” in a community, it makes one pause and I have to admit that the “prospect” of a mineral museum did not seem that exciting. The Rice Museum, however, is affiliated with the Smithsonian and after I investigated, it’s worth checking out (on a future trip……):

“The Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals houses a world-class collection recognized as the finest in the Pacific Northwest and one of the best in the nation….The Museum showcases not only fine rocks and minerals, but also fossils, meteorites, lapidary art, and gemstones from both the Pacific Northwest and all around the world.”

(# External photos attributed at the end of the post. #1 below)

And of definite historical interest – the Holcomb Creek Trestle, purportedly the highest (90 feet) and longest wooden railroad bridge currently in use in the United States, located only about a minute or two from in the Helvetia Tavern.

“This 110 year old beauty was used by the Portland Western Railroad! If you like railroad trestles, you’ll love this one! Built back in 1905 for the Oregon Electric Railway by United Railways, the timber stringer type bridge is a classic wooden trestle.

Since fire is always a danger with wooden trestles and bridges, this one was constructed with well spaced concrete partitions to prevent the uncontrollable spread of a fire, should one occur. No one really knows how many board feet of lumber is included in the 1168 foot long span of the bridge.” (https://trainfanatics.com/holcomb-creek-wooden-train-trestle-still-standing/) (#2)

One can’t help wonder if any inebriated patrons of the Helvetia Tavern have ever tried to scale the structure or walk across it – that’s almost four football fields. Obviously, it’s not one that you could make a fast exit over the side if a train appears like the classic scene in movies!

Okay, but let’s get back to the Tavern……

While we enjoyed our visit and the company was outstanding, based on my visits over the last eleven years – to almost 400 watering holes in Oregon, throughout the US and a few in Europe – I would not rate the Helvetia Tavern as a “classic” or one of the more memorable.

Now I will admit this assertion is based on only one visit – and that one shortly after a global pandemic, but hear me out…..This may shock some of its fans, but I’ll set forth my reasons below:

The Ambiance and Character – The inside is clean and spacious and has a long, attractive bars and numerous booths and a pool table. There are also some old beer signs and memorabilia. It reminded me of a typical sports bar without as many televisions. (#3 – right)

The main element of character is the ceiling which is bedecked with numerous colored baseball hats – obviously left by patrons over the years.

I asked a waiter about the origin and he thought it was because years ago, they had unmatched sections of the ceiling and decided that the headgear would “hide” the discrepancy.

There was nothing on the website which provided any insight and while it was an attractive and interesting touch, it doesn’t compare with the effect and the stories of some others I’ve seen in my journey – at least from the information available.

I would suggest that a number of other “ceiling accoutrements” I’ve seen overshadow the hats. Two examples are the bras that adorn the ceiling of the Dixie Tavern in Portland’s Old Town and the Bacaro Jazz – just over the Rialto Bridge in Venice. From my Beerchaser reviews:

At Bacaro Jazz:

“The tradition is all the women walking in who donate their bra to the collection tend to get a free drink and a rise from the crowd. The Bar has every drink you can think so if your intent is to walk in sober and leave the same way, forget about it.”

At Dixie:

“Evidently, when female patrons dance on the bar – a tradition at The Dixie – they inconspicuously remove their bras and attempt to throw them on the antlers of the large moose-head hanging on the wall. Then each year, Dixie’s donates $5 for each bra on the ceiling to the Susan Komen Race for the Cure – a great cause.

(There were also about an equal number of baseball caps on the ceiling which I assume were worn by the male patrons chose not to wear a bra, but didn’t want to feel left out.”)

And it doesn’t have to be apparel – for example, the traditional Christmas lights – which have never gone out on the ceiling along with University of Portland students’ signatures throughout the years at the Twilight Room or the signatures, graphics and comments on the ceiling at Gil’s Speakeasy in SE Portland

The Deck and Patio – One of the best aspects of the Helvetia is both a covered patio and an adjacent deck area with large umbrellas which drew most people the night we were there. Although it was hot, the shrubs and trees around the deck provided some respite. On it’s website, it states “voted best patio” but it doesn’t quote the source. (#4 – left)

That said, given the weather during much of the year in Oregon, in my opinion, one can’t rely on the outside seating areas to provide the ambiance one needs to be considered a “classic” bar.

The Food – The menu is pretty much pub food and the prices are very reasonable. On its website, Helvetia prominently displays “Home of the Jumbo Burger,” and the burger has a reputation for excellence, as do the fries and onion rings. For example, this Yelp review:

“Old school tavern that my family has been visiting since the 50’s – when Fred and Boots owned it. Then it was a tavern, grocery, and gas station. The burgers are old school, fresh, simple, wonderful. The 1/2 & 1/2 fries and onion rings are simply a must.”

Willamette Week in its March Burger Madness in 2017 which evaluated 100 burgers from Portland bars and bistros, wrote of Helvetia’s offering (It lost to Mike’s Drive-in‘s burger in the first round):

“The famous Jumbo Burger – with two thin beef patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and mayo stacked inside a giant bun – the whole thing is like a Big Mac the size of your face…if your face were maybe a little bigger.” (#5 – 6)

I’ve eaten at quite a few of the places in the competition such as Slow Bar, Interurban, Ecliptic, McMenamins, Grain and Gristle and Expatriate and a few not on the list such as Stanich’s which one reviewer called “a national treasure” and Thrilllist rated in 2018 as the “Best Burger in America.” And don’t forget The Sink Burger from Boulder. Helvetia’s Jumbo does not compare favorably

Most of the food reviews’ however, are good and the onion rings and fries were excellent with plentiful servings; however, my assessment of the burger was similar to the two below – (Yelp on 8/6/22):

“The food was ok and the service was excellent. Had the jumbo cheeseburger and it was OK. Don’t really understand the hype.”

Or from 12/27/20:

“Interesting concept of the larger burger. The burger was simple and good. It’s because there was no ‘wow’ in burger I got, seemed pretty basic.”

Our servers were courteous and efficient. By the way, Helvetia only takes cash or checks although there is an ATM located on site.

The Story – Perhaps the most disappointing (and lacking) element for an establishment that has been a community fixture since 1946, is any meaningful attempt to convey its history. The website is woefully deficient and in the “About” section has a scant paragraph – only revealing the 1946 inception date.

The last entry on the Facebook site is dated December 26, 2021 and states:

“Due to the snow..We will be closed today.”

The element may not be a priority of the owners or important to most patrons; however, to be considered a watering hole icon, the story needs to be conveyed. Regardless of whether the bar or brewery is relatively new or has a rich history (I assume) from having been around for almost eighty years like Helvetia, the legacy should be communicated on site and through social media. And the staff should be oriented on it when they commence employment.

Earlier, I mentioned our visit with the Sengers in Pueblo, Colorado for an outstanding weekend of Beerchasing. One of the highlights in visiting Gus’ Place, Eilers’ Place, Walter’s Brewery, the Greenlight Tavern, Shamrock Brewery and the Star Bar was that all of them emphasized the tradition and legends which preserve the sagas though narrative, photos or memorabilia.

One of my favorites from the eleven years of Beerchasing was from Eilers’ Pace (above) where after I mentioned my Beerchasing hobby to the bartender, she came back with the old photo below taken in the late 1940’s. The bar was a family place and mom’s often brought their infants for a visit.

She then said, “See that guy over there?” pointing to one of the guys in the booth by the door. “He’s the second baby from the end on his mom’s lap in the photo.” I went over to meet him and He stuck out his hand and said:

“I’m James “Horse” Mohorcich. But you should just call me ‘Horse.’ I live across the street and I’ve been coming here for at least forty years.”

Later when we joined the Sheriff and his family, I told them the story and showed the picture and Sheriff Taylor said, “Oh yeah, that’s Horse. I know Horse!”

So in Closing

I hope to return to the Helvetia Tavern at some point and the Lampros family who own it should be commended for maintaining a thriving small business through the years including during a pandemic.

They have a loyal following in the community and the region. I just hope they make some additional efforts so the full story is not lost in the future.

Cheers