Slabtown – A “Slice” of Portland History

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

An important institution in an historic neighborhood

After six posts on pubs and taverns in Europe based on our Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour, Thebeerchaser takes comfort in returning home – to the roughly 700 watering holes in Portland. And what better way to regain the origins of this blog than reviewing a Portland classic dive bar – Slabtown.

External character in a manner of speaking

As evidence of its status, it is the only bar other than the recently Beerchaser reviewed Slammer Tavern (September 2013) that has been named one of the favorite bars in the ”hallowed” – at least in my eyes because of its value as a reference source – Willamette Week Drink Guide (Favorite Bars) for the last six years.

And as we walk you through our visit to this NW Portland institution, we will provide some highlights from the WW past reviews:

2013 – “Old-school rock and roll venue, Slabtown is, as ever, a play-town for putative grown-ups (with occasional all-ages shows served up from the back entrance) with pinball, air hockey, Skee-ball and Pop-a-Shot.”

: Old School venue with traditional bar competition – Air Hockey, etc.

I was pleased to have Portland lawyer, Scott Whipple, a Beerchaser regular and esteemed graduate of Iowa’s Grinnell College (where they still talk about his accomplishments on the basketball court) accompany me both to this bar and our second stop that night at the Skyline Tavern.

: Fred and Scott – A character in a bar with character(s)

We sat at the bar next to a great old guy with a white beard, overalls and a baseball cap named Fred, who while I talked to the friendly bartender, Dave, wanted to engage Scott on topics such as “quality trading” in the stock market, World War II and the global economy. Ben, another quality barkeeper who has worked there for 4 1/2 years was there working with Dave on my second visit.

Two Class A Bartenders – Dave and Ben with Thebeerchaser Logo

Dave was very helpful, has worked there for 18 months, is a Wilson High graduate and the grandson of John Howard, the former and very well-regarded President of Lewis and Clark College.

2011 – “….Slabtown has changed, man. But don’t freak out – it has changed for the better.

The owners booted the video poker machines for more pinball and video games (this place is like a Chuck E. Cheeses for adults) upgraded the sound system a bit and incorporated a wider range of music into the schedule….The building seems further from collapse than ever before….”

Old style pinball machines replaced Video Lottery — Good Move!!

Distinguishing Characteristics

Its History – Slabtown has been around since the ‘70’s under three different owners It was originally a strip club and was also known as “Cal’s Fort.” It has an interesting “altar” near the entrance, paying tribute to fabled rock musicians Wendy O’ Williams and Freddie Mercury. The bar was also used as a set for two scenes from the “Portlandia” show.

The “altar” at the entrance.

The Slabtown neighborhood is also one of Portland’s most historic neighborhoods and oozes with history as evidenced by this excerpt from the July 13, 2013 The Oregonian

“For a century, Wallace Park was the site of trading for Native Americans, (Tracy) Prince writes in “Portland’s Slabtown.” The book (published by Arcadia Press) traces the Slabtown neighborhood’s history……when Native Americans outnumbered white settlers 1,000 to 275, through its blue-collar decades, and into its current “Trendy-third” reputation for its Northwest 23rd Avenue boutiques…..

It was a working-class neighborhood home to marginalized groups — Native Americans, Chinese and European immigrants, gypsies, and black Portlanders.”

Timber is a key to the “roots” of Slabtown.

Why the name “Slabtown? “….back in the industrial days of lumber milling, the slabs of the rounded tree edges made good fuel and were to be found all over this area.” (KGW.com 9/7/2010). The slices of wood piled up at the George Weidler Lumber Mill on NW Northrup Street commencing in the 1870’s.

The Menu – It’s entirely vegan since last June! This is the first time Thebeerchaser has encountered this situation although it was not a problem. Neither Scott nor I could tell the difference between the excellent large order of vegan french fries we had that night versus what we are used to……..

A very positive change initiated in July 2012 was the introduction of Falafel to their kitchen with a new chef. You can see the reviews are superb:

Yelp 6/6/13: “Dive BAR! but right now they are renting the kitchen out to an amazing FALAFEL CHEF… So good you must try…”

: Although a limited menu, the food gets high marks.

Yelp 5/9/13: “Best falafel sandwich I’ve had in Portland and quite surprising to find it at a dive bar.”

Yelp 10/12/13: “Lover’s of delicious food: this is a serious find. It is a serious dive……But the people who make the falafel are serious about their craft. I’ve never had a better gyro, and I’ve been to Greece and eaten them there, so I feel like I am qualified to speak to Gyro power.”

Drum sticks and guitar strings – A unique feature

The Vending Machines – It may well be that Slabtown is the only bar in Portland where one can purchase both guitar strings and drumsticks (not the kind one eats) from a vending machine.

You can also see Scott waiting in anticipation at the kissing booth, which, understandably, did not get any participants when we were there. There are also a number of old classic pinball machines, air hockey and skee-ball and Pop-a-Shot that did see a lot of action.

: “Better not give up your day job, Scott.”

2010 – “…You can order a basket of French fries and play pinball for three hours and no one is going to try to grab your boobs…”

Pop-a-Shot – The score reflects Whipple regressing to his college days at Grinnell…

But perhaps the machine that ended up with more than several of our dollars in its belly, was Pop-a-Shot.

Scott immediately gravitated to the machine and we played no less than five games in which he marginally came out on top in four of them. Scott sang the Grinnell Fight Song as he shot. After we went back into the bar, Dave the bartender, said to me, “He’s a competitive guy, isn’t he?” (If you only knew, Dave….)

As a Concert and Performance Venue – When I asked Dave and Ben how they would best describe Slabtown i.e. Dive Bar, Neighborhood Bar, Music Venue, Ben stated, “It’s something different to each person and can be each of those.” Dave, however, chose the Performance Venue option because of the history and the percentage of the bar’s receipts resulting from these shows.

Indeed, check out the calendar on the Slabtown Website or Facebook page – a full calendar with different types of music – live and otherwise – some with cover charge – some free – almost every night. They also have all-ages shows to open it up for more patrons and obviously, closely control the alcohol for underage folk. Also Bingo and Industry Night events on Tuesdays.

2008 – “….Slabtown strikes a near perfect balance between style and scum with dirty rock and plenty of breathing room to relax over cheap food and plentiful beer…A fine after-work drinking spot if there ever was one.”

Scott at the “Bar” – making a closing argument to himself

As a sign by the entrance said at one time, “This isn’t the Pearl – It’s Slabtown! You’ve been warned.”

So noted! And that’s a good thing. Check them out while you have a gyro….

Slabtown 1033 NW 16th

If You’re Good, You May End Up in The Slammer……

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

One of Portland’s Classic Dive Bars

“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land: it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.”

The most recent Beerchaser posts have been on pubs and sights encountered on our Rick Steves’ 21-day Best of Europe Tour. In light of a recent reading of famed British philosopher and author, Lord Chesterton‘s above quote, however, it was a vivid reminder that Portland’s bars, taverns and pubs are second to none in both the US and the globe!

Oozing with character and history……

And The Slammer is a Portland classic. As evidence, Willamette Week publishes a “Best Bars” or “Drink Guide” supplement each year. Thebeerchaser has kept printed copies of these going back to 2007 and they include 100 to 125 of the approximately 700 total Portland bars each year. They are an invaluable resource for this blog.

Well, The Slammer (and Slab Town – visited already and to be reviewed next month..) appear to be two of the few, if not the only, establishments to make the list each of the last seven years. Let’s look at a few excerpts:

“…The Slammer is maybe the friendliest bar in town ……It is a family-run dive bar of the old school, an after-softball hangout….and a place that will suffer fools but never assholes, one of the few places in town where widely disparate strangers talk to each other……It is a heartening place, and its very bad for your liver.” (2013)

A great group of regulars and memorabilia from the ’70’s — that’s a Tonka Truck…….

“…the Slammer’s core clientele of square-jawed stalwarts with uncomplicated wardrobes (Eagles jackets shelved at the first flush of Slammer Softball jerseys…) that once typified the East Side Industrial District.” (2012)

“Walk into the Slammer and be transported back into a reassuring hybrid of your uncle’s basement den and freshman-year college parties. Intimacy presides in this former speak-easy. A cigarette vending machine, pinball and Big Buck Hunter offer ample distraction…. Escape the no-man’s land of industrial Southeast Portland and be welcomed home to a strange, rowdy and delightful den of locals.” (2011)

I was fortunate to have my friend and Beerchaser regular – Portland attorney, John Mansfied, join me for the visit and he could have been a regular based on the way he commandeered the old Skee Ball machine – one of the few in Portland.

Beerchaser followers may remember John as the skilled intellectual property lawyer who has a propensity to interpret language literally. For example, at the Mock Crest Tavern (May 2012 blog post), the menu stated, “Breakfast Served – Any Time.” John asked for French toast from the Renaissance Era…..To see another one of his “literal” stories, see the end of this blog post.

Mansfield – His victorious expression has an inverse relation to his score at Skee Ball

“…..it’s safe to say the Slammer was pulled from somebody’s dive-bar fantasy and realized with a hasty affection. The bar has a cozy, funky atmosphere….filled with a mix of old regulars and neighborhood youngsters.” (2010)

“….. but the Slammer is a corner bar so enchanting you may be moved to stand on an outdoor table and sing along to “Rocket Man” playing on the loudspeakers. After which the regulars will come outside and congratulate you.” (2009)

Chris, the bartender, maintained the tradition of just about every one of the fifty-plus bartenders I have interviewed on Thebeerchaser tour of Portland bars and taverns – he was extremely friendly and helpful in giving us information about their bar. He’s the son of the female owner.

Bartender Chris and John Mansfield with Thebeerchaser logo

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The Slammer opened thirty-four years ago and Chris’s mom bought it eighteen years ago. He thought that one of the distinguishing characteristics is the great mix of clientele – WW agrees with him.

“Plopped on the weird convergence of Southeast Stark Street, 8th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard, Slammer’s the kind of place that’s slightly different every time you go in…..one thing’s certain—the door on the bathroom is still nonexistent, and you’ll probably hug the bartender before leaving.” (2008)

The sign says a lot about the character of this quirky establishment.

Based on our visit, Slammer was a great bar with friendly regulars and a solid and endearing character, but it has not always been this way. In fact, one of my friends – a former Portland police officer who has been on Beerchasing visits, advised me to avoid it for our own welfare based on his experience as a cop.

When queried for specific examples, he stated, “The guy who did a car prowl and ran into the bar to hide. Noise complaints not uncommon. The occasional bar fight we were called to suppress – usually a boyfriend/girlfriend argument when they had too much beer.

Honestly, probably not any more incidents than a bar of comparable size. The patrons more often got in trouble walking home and peeing on the side of the building or passing out on the sidewalk.”

Chris noted that a number of years back, they had a few “burps,” but those are from days gone by. A group of regulars sitting at the tables on the “patio” right outside the door stated, “Slammer is the best (and friendliest) bar in Portland.”

“The Friendliest Bar in Portland.”

Slammer doesn’t have a bunch of beers on tap or an expansive menu (essentially sandwiches, tacos, chili and sides), but the food and beer is cheap and they have a reputation for strong drinks and friendly bartenders.

This old, red Victorian house with two renovated apartments up-stairs, the small bar on the ground floor and a bunch of Christmas lights strung all over the exterior is worth a visit.

I will conclude by stating that it is always a treat to drink beer with attorney Mansfield. Besides being honored as an Oregon Super Lawyer since 2009, he is a talented musician and in his younger days played in a rock band. Another example of his tendency to analyze and interpret language literally is evidenced by this communication with the police dispatcher when he was at the U of O and a wild and crazy guy:

Dispatcher: “Eugene Police Department”

Mansfield: “I’d like to report a theft at our residence.”

Dispatcher: “What is your street name?”

Mansfield: “Bubba”

The Slammer 500 SE 8th Street

The White Eagle Saloon and the November Beerchaser of the Month – Forrest Green

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

Thebeerchaser and spouse, Janet, at the entrance to the Historic White Eagle Saloon

There are now approximately sixty-five McMenamin establishments in the Northwest – an amazing growth story that began in 1983 with the Hillsdale Brewery and Public House by Mike and Brian McMenamin. Their venues are primarily hotels and/or restaurants, brew pubs, breweries or combinations thereof, and somewhat outside Thebeerchaser pub tour guidelines.

The Greens, Janet Williams and Fays at Jam-o-Rama

There are some exceptions, however, which would include the Fulton Pub and the White Eagle Saloon.

The White Eagle originally opened in 1905 and is now on the National Historic Register. Because of its remarkable history and musical tradition, our party visited in mid-September, which was also the weekend of the Jam-o-Rama 2012.

Historic on the Exterior and the Interior

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The 2012 event featured multiple bands of the Pacific Northwest from the ‘60’s through 80’s.

One of the Bands at Jam-o-Rama

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Amazingly, there is no cover charge for the day-long celebration. Seven different bands played that day and we focused on the “Rising Sons” featuring Dan Taylor on vocals, Forrest Green on keyboards, Tim Ellis on guitar, Jim Walker on bass, and Dan Rice on drums.

Forrest is the brother of Portland lawyer, Pat Green, and the two Green brothers and Thebeerchaser all attended Oregon City High School in the late ‘60’s. As long as we are reviewing history, their Dad – Bill – was the Oregon City Postmaster for many years before retiring.

: From L to R – Forrest, Bill and Pat Green

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The White Eagle was “born” in 1905 and the historic “Rock’n Roll” Hotel has eleven rooms. Nightly entertainment is featured in the bar which has a stage.

The bar is a very long classic oak structure although seating in booths is somewhat limited.

A Classic Oak Bar Adds to the
Historic Ambiance

Fortunately, it is supplemented during good weather by the large adjacent beer garden.

A Spacious Beer Garden – Filled During Jam-o-Rama

Haunted — Or just Historic??

The rich history is detailed in their website. Look at this excerpt:

“Did you know the White Eagle is called “one of the most haunted places” in Portland? ……. Set in North Portland’s industrial neighborhood, underneath the mighty span of the Fremont Bridge, the legendary White Eagle Cafe and Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel echoes with tall tales of resident spirits, poker games and Shanghai tunnels……”

“Exposed brick walls and black-and-white photos of the old days lend a Wild West flair not just the bar, but all of Portland.” (2007 Willamette Week Drinkers’ Bible) – see photo below:

Historic Photos Take You Back….

The website also relates tales such as a prostitute being murdered on the second floor, ghost-like apparitions, conflicts among the Polish immigrant industrial workers in the area and the rich jazz legends from which the currently nightly jams evolved:

“The Holy Modal Rounders and blues man Robert Cray helped launch the bar’s live music tradition. Others like the Isley Brothers, ZZ Top and Big Walter Horton were followed in the ’80s by Northwest music icons Paul deLay, Curtis Salgado, Norman Sylvester, Steve Bradley and more.”

The Food and Drink

As stated in the 2008 Willamette Week Drink Guide, “White Eagle’s menu and beer selection are standard McMenamin’s fare, but the historic hotel/bordello creaky floors, lofty ceilings and rumored ghosts lend a spooky charm.”

While the food was essentially as stated above, we were surprised at how quickly we got served (not usually the case at McMenamins) even with the Jam-o-Rama crowd. The Reuben sandwich and the Irish Stew were both very good and the McM’ns beer is pretty good whatever you choose.

Forrest Green – November Beerchaser-of-the-Month

Other than having a name which oozes sustainability, until the late ‘60’s Forrest Green was a typical high school student – a class officer in his junior year at Oregon City High School and a talented musician who started his own garage band and a group called The Rising Sons. In 1967, Forrest’s senior year at OCHS, he got a call from Don Grady (who also starred as Robbie in the hit sitcom “My Three Sons.” )

The Rising Sons in 1967 – Forrest is on the left

——————-Grady had become aware of Green’s talent on the keyboard and asked him if he wanted to tour with his group, Yellow Balloon. Forrest became the envy of his classmates and played with Yellow Balloon which released a song with a title identical to the group moniker. Although “Yellow Ballon” was their only hit, it climbed to # 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. The group disbanded after their tour and release of one album. (Unfortunately, Grady passed away this year.)

The Yellow Balloons on Tour – Green on the left and Grady is second from the left

Forrest eventually went back to school receiving his under-graduate degree and also became certified in Advanced Holistic Energy Healing. He then earned his Masters Degree in Humanistic Clinical Psychology and is a master improvisational musician.

His musical gifts and his keen interest in the environment, combined with his love of travel have taken him to Peru, Bolivia, Southwest England, Wales, France, the island of Bimini, the dolphin bays of Hawaii, the Southwest, Northwest and Northeast United States and Canada.

He formed his own consulting firm, Soul Source while in Northern California. After living in Vermont, he then moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where he now resides. His firm is “an avenue for healing energetics offering individual sessions, group facilitation and presentations to enhance the personal and spiritual well-being of children and adults. It also provides environmental, energy space clearing of homes, offices and land.” The link to his website is below and is definitely worth checking out:

Soul Source

It was a nice reunion with Forrest, especially since it was a the White Eagle and we had an opportunity to hear his first group. His musical skills continue to be outstanding and he has done an admirable job pursuing his passion in a very successful career.

And check out the White Eagle. If you are secure and not easily frightened, it’s even worth spending a night in the hotel after dinner and live music – perhaps during Jam-o-Rama 2013!

The White Eagle Saloon 836 N. Russell

Bar of the Gods (and Goddesses) …. It’s Not a Myth

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

A More Contemporary Mythology

One long-ago review of the Bar of the Gods (BOG) stated: If you want to kick your liver into high gear, visit BOG.” For context, it also talked about the magnitude of the second-hand smoke. There is now no smoking, except on their patio, but the BOG still fits the classic definition of a “dive bar.” While it has disappeared from the list of Willamette Week’s best bars in the last three years, prior reviews give some insight:

2007 – Despite an off-putting goth decor, everyone’s welcome….If you come alone, you’re leaving alone….The clientele is on the youngish side and mostly travels in packs.

2008 – You’d think that a bar dedicated to the Greek Pantheon might be a bit, um, brighter. Just insert “dive” though and you’ve got all you need to know….BOG serves plenty of stiff, cheap-ass drinks.

2009 – The bar is dark and inviting with strings of grape-lights overhead doing little to illuminate the grime left over from the smoking days…The music is as loud as the crowd. Its everything you want a dive bar to be complete with a heated smoking area out back and hypnotizing lights that make it look like fireflies are on.

Duyck, Whipple and BOG Owner, Kip

Portland lawyers, Scott Whipple, Dan Duyck and Dan Peterson from the Whipple & Duyck firm, joined me for this second stop on Thebeerchaser Bar Tour this evening.

The owner for the last 3.5 years, a pleasant fellow named Kip, said that BOG before 1996 was a gay strip club. The grape-clustered lights on the ceiling, the artwork and even the signs on the restrooms, evoked memories of studying Greek Mythology in high school.

Bar of the Gods Artwork

Although I don’t still have my Odyssey Cliff’s Notes (at the time, wrapped in brown paper to hide the yellow and black cover), I remember stories of giants and ogres of indescribable horror ranging from such monsters as Medusa, Deimos (God of fear and terror) and his twin brother, Phobos (God of panic).

Odysseus, after seven years captivity by the nymph, Calypso, heads home to Ithaca and encounters a slew of these on his fabled tour of Greek bars and taverns chronicled by Homer in the eighth century. His journey was prior to legislation against second-hand smoking in pubs, which added to the hazards.

A Trap for Unwary Beer Drinkers….

For example there was Charybdis, once a beautiful mermaid, who took “the form of a huge bladder of a creature whose face is all mouth and whose arms and legs are flippers. She swallows a huge amount of water three times a day before belching it back out again, creating whirlpools.” (Wikipedia)

The whirlpool or vortex brought back unpleasant memories of “the blind whirleys” from college – appropriately Greek-related from fraternity parties. The cure for this whirlpool-type condition was to lie down with one foot on the bed and one on the floor – it did not work if you were already lying on the floor….

The Siren – Don’t call 911 to hear this one.

And The Sirens – “Their song, though irresistibly sweet, was no less sad than sweet, and lapped both body and soul in a fatal lethargy, the forerunner of death and corruption.”

Fortunately, the music at BOG was so loud that we overcame any lethargic tendencies when a Van Halen tune belted out from the juke box at a 120 decibel level.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Theme – You probably won’t find another Portland bar with the pervasive Greek mythology theme – even to the point of the signs on the restroom doors:

Ethereal Powder Room

The Food – Since we had already eaten at another bar, we just topped it off with some delicious home-made chips and salsa and a chicken quesadilla, but Kip asserted that the BOG food is distinctive. Their chili is home-made as are all their soups. The menu on the blackboard does seem unusual for pub grub:

A Distinctive Menu with the Emphasis on Home-made…

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Another Myth???

Kip also told us that there are eleven bars in the eastern environs of Hawthorne Street and they are known as The Bar-muda Triangle. Since this seemed relevant to Charybdis, the Vortex and Blind Whirleys, it required some research. In fact, there were 2,910 Google entries for “Portland Bar-muda Triangle”, and Kip may be right:

The Urban Dictionary – this user-generated website pinpoints its location as “an area of bars that collectively saturate the SE Hawthorne Arts District at the base of Mt Tabor.”

The Portland Tribune – In a July, 2008 article entitled, “Drop anchor in Bar-muda Triangle,” there is a bar review of “The Tanker” with a subheading stating, “Setting a course for spirits, sports? Navigate to Hawthorne’s Tanker.”

To the contrary, there is a Willamette Week article from May, 2011 captioned, “Douchebags Not Allowed: Bar-muda Triangle’s Ankeny Car-Free Zone Is a Go.” According to WW, Portland’s Bar-muda is located in the Old Town neighborhood on the west side, near Voodoo Donuts where one block of Southwest Ankeny Street was converted to a car-free zone with outdoor tables for diners.

A High Pressure Front Whirling Around Mt. Tabor or Maybe That’s Florida?

Perhaps the dilemma is resolved based on info gleaned at the “wise-geek” 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.”

It appears that “Bar-muda triangle” is used by many towns to refer to particularly alcoholic intersections and the term is garnered from elsewhere or invented independently.

Since BOG has five beers on tap, eleven bottled beers, five in cans and champagne, let’s hoist a Hypotenuse IPA and agree that everyone is correct!

Kip Behind the Bar

BOG has four video poker machines and a spacious area to play pool. The crowd was an interesting mixture of locals and those cruising the Hawthorne District, although I did hear one guy shout, “I’m part of the 47%…

Try the Bar of the Gods, but take your GPS and don’t disappear in the confines of the Bar-muda Triangle. Check out their interesting website on the link below.

Bar of the Gods 4801 SE Hawthorne

Expose Yourself to the Goose Hollow Inn

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

The 2011 Willamette Week Drink Guide states, “(The Goose Hollow Inn), brainchild of Bud Clark, Portland’s most universally beloved mayor continues into its fifth decade as a kind of principled experiment in the civic virtue of the bull session.”

: A Successful Experiment in Civic Virtue

The assessment of Bud Clark’s term as Mayor has obviously not changed since 2011…..Indeed, if there is a Portland bar (and its owners) that embodies what makes Portlanders never want to leave our City, it’s the Goose Hollow Inn. From the 2012 Willamette Week 105 Favorite Bars, Pubs and Clubs:

History on the Walls!!

“The five-decades old joint is everything you’d expect from a placed owned by Clark since 1967 — that is, a cabin-style pub with wooden benches adorned with old photos and campaign posters of Clark, with wrap-around porch….”

To experience the true flavor of this “institution,” however, you need to talk to the original owner himself. Thebeerchaser, Portland attorney, Jim Westwood and retired Oregonian columnist, John Terry, had this opportunity for a “very short” ninety minutes with Bud on a Tuesday afternoon in July.

With our Mayor from 1984-1992

Bud Clark, after attending Portland’s Lincoln High School, continued his education in 1952 at Vanport Center and then PSU before leaving for the Korean War.

He reminisced about his time as a bartender at the long gone Jerry’s Gables (where the $1.25 special included half of a hamburger, potato salad and garlic bread), his ownership of the Spatenhaus – his first bar which was located at the site of the present Keller Auditorium, and buying the Goose in 1967.

He regaled us with stories about the Expose Yourself to Art poster (originally intended to raise funds for a 1977 public health campaign to “Zap the Clap”). The Portland Art Museum was not interested in the poster and the original photographer, Michael Ryerson, printed them and sold them for $1 at Waterfront Park – 250,000 were sold by 1984 and now it is displayed in the Smithsonian!

Bud Clark – A Proponent of Open Public Greetings

David Kish, the owner of another bar – The Storm Cellar Tavern – who ultimately served as Portland’s Director of General Services and Clark’s Chief of Staff, told me that Bud donated his proceeds from the poster to the NW Examiner (Neighborhood Newspaper). Kish, before he worked for the City, also served as salesperson for the poster and patrons of his bar could buy the poster and a beer for a buck! Kish also related how when Bud told his friends about his plans to buy the bar in Goose Hollow that the reaction was, “You might as well be in Hillsboro…”

A lot more on tap than just Bud….

And there was his campaign against Frank Ivancie (“Ivancie Terrible” as labeled by former Oregon Journal columnist, Doug Baker) where Ivancie used the poster as an example of Clark’s lack of judgement. Ivancie mistakenly believed that people would vote for Clark only out of morbid curiosity, and the bar owner and political outsider’s campaign was a lark. Both Westwood and Clark remembered their mutual friend, coach (of Westwood’s GE College Bowl Team) and campaign advisor, PSU Professor, Ben Padrow.

The Mayor was known for his favorite greeting, “Whoop Whoop.”” Bud told us (and Kish elaborated) that this exclamation originated in an attempt to imitate the mating call of a pet guinea pig named George Raft…..

And then there was the campaign in 1984…..

The values of the Clark family are evident through the history of the bar. For example, the excellent mono- graph, Portland’s Goose Hollow by Tracy Prince states on page 10:

“By the late 1960’s, Goose Hollow faced the bulldozers of ‘urban renewal’ and the neighborhood name had fallen out of common usage for several decades. Bud Clark’s strategy to rename a tavern he purchased in the hollow as the Goose Hollow Inn to help rekindle civic regard the neighborhood, and prevented the … name from fading away.”

A History worth Preserving

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Food – A great menu including salads, sandwiches (notable roast beef and pizza) – headed, of course, by “The Best Reuben on the Planet” described in one review as: “a deliciously oozing pile of corned beef, sauerkraut and cheese.”

Thebeerchaser confirmed. The turkey dumpling soup is also superb.

The History, Character and Values of the Owners – Clark stated that before the advent of microbrews, the Goose served only three beers and Budweiser was King. Before he took office in 1984, the Goose sold 180 kegs of Budweiser per month and was recognized as selling more Bud per square foot than any bar in the United States. He chuckled relating how when he was away his wife, Sigrid, who was managing the bar, added what is now a wonderful deck, but the additional square footage lost them the Budweiser top ranking.

The Deck — Altered the Square Feet to Budweiser Sold Ratio

Examples of the values include:

Meatless Mondays – Bud instituted this concept in the ’60’s to remind people of the GIs fighting in Viet Nam while all of us lived in comfort back in the States.

Meat – Don’t Even Think About it on Monday at the Goose in the late ’60s

Smokeless Tuesdays – Long before Oregon law forbid it, patrons refrained from coffin nails once each week — and it was enforced.

Environmental Ethics – According to Kish, who is an environmental energy expert and once directed the Oregon Dept. of Energy, Bud implemented some innovative solar energy options in the Goose long before State tax credits and availability in the marketplace. Bud also “kicked out Budweiser” and stopped selling it for a period when Anheuser Busch opposed the Oregon Bottle Bill in 1971.

Family – The Clark family has been instrumental in the Goose Hollow Neighborhood and family values are pervasive in their businesses. Rachael, Bud’s daughter, now is the manager of the Inn. She joined us for the discussion and talked about the emphasis on a customer service ethic. She also refuted the one negative comment in scads of complimentary reviews: “My friend had to pay an extra $1.00 for the Au Jus on a French Dip Sandwich.” Rachael said, “I tried to contact the guy to tell him that we did not have French Dip Sandwiches on the menu at all then, but he never responded.”

Rachael Clark Carries on the Family Tradition – Is there no AuJus??

Fehrenbacher is the family name of Sigrid Fehrenbacher Clark, Oregon Symphony violinist and business partner in the pub. The Clarks also operated an outdoor store and antique shop. The family carries on with the tavern and an excellent little coffee shop – Fahrenbachers Hof immediately adjacent to the Inn – one that got excellent reviews for the coffee, staff and food.

Fehrenbacher’s Hof – No Bud but Great Java!

This Bud’s For US!!!

The Goose Hollow Inn is a wonderful pub in all respects. Thebeerchaser gained a new perspective on what a treasure the Clark Family is to Portland. Stop by and have a draft and then top it off with a cup of coffee at Fehrenbacher’s Hof next door.

It is fitting to conclude with Bud’s motto for the Inn:

“Dedicated to Quality Draft, Fine Food, Pleasant Music and Stimulating Company. We’re also dedicated to extremes of opinion, hoping that a livable marriage will result. If physical violence is your nature, either develop your verbal abilities or leave.”

The Goose Hollow Inn 1927 Jefferson Street

Fahrenbacher’s Hof 1225 SW 19th Avenue