McMenamins
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McMenamins Pubs and Breweries is a chain of over fifty brewpubs, microbreweries, music venues, historic hotels, theater pubs and more. The chain is located mostly in the Portland metropolitan area, but has many other locations in Oregon and Washington. According to the Association of Brewers, as of 2003 it is the third largest brewpub chain in the United States, serving approximately 20,000 barrels annually. Brewmasters at most locations experiment with new beers, an experimentation promoted within the company through an annual competition.
Unique locations
Many of its locations are renovated historical properties; as of June 2004, nine are on the National Register of Historic Places:
- a former elementary school (Kennedy School),
- a movie theater built by Universal Studios (Bagdad Theater & Pub),
- a building once used by the Church of Sweden as a Swedish Evangelical Mission (Mission Theater),
- the site of a former general store once owned by Oregon's first state treasurer (Boon's Treasury),
- a saloon once used by Polish immigrants to plan what became the west coast's first Polish Catholic Church (White Eagle Saloon),
- a saloon in downtown Centralia, Washington (Olympic Club),
- a pioneer homestead with an octagonal barn (Cornelius Pass Roadhouse),
- a former Multnomah County poor farm (Edgefield), and
- a ballroom with a floating floor (Crystal Ballroom).
Other historic locations include a former Masonic lodge and a building that was part of the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition.
About
McMenamins was founded by Mike and Brian McMenamin, who grew up in Portland. Mike learned the ins-and-outs of the restaurant business while working at a sub shop as a student at Oregon State University. After a series of failed restaurant ventures in the Portland area, the brothers began establishing pubs throughout the metropolitan area. In 1985 they created the first post-Prohibition brewpub in Oregon after the brewing industry in Oregon — including the McMenamins — successfully lobbied the state legislature to change liquor laws to make such an establishment legal.
As the brothers expand their restaurant chain, they have replicated core elements of their menu and decor. Yet most locations, particularly the historical properties, still retain a sense of individualism. Many in Portland consider the chain to be a high-profile component of Portland culture since the 1980s. Their respectful renovation and rehabilitation of historical locations throughout the city, their contributions to the popularity of a microbrew culture, the Grateful Dead-inspired decor, and what are largely considered to be the greatest Tater Tots in the universe make them almost a required part of any visitor's tour.
The brothers have faced some criticism, mainly from some who feel that the business uses a vertical integration model that could easily be co-opted by large commercial breweries. Others feel that the company's many locations may be pushing out smaller microbreweries.
As a company they are very community conscious. They tend to search for locations that are landmark-worthy but not worth the money for a non-commercial entity to renovate. When one of their locations in Beaverton burnt down, they promptly rebuilt it just as it was to keep the feel that the community had come to rely on.
External links
- Company website (http://www.mcmenamins.com/)
- Information from the Northwest Brewpage (http://www.nwbrewpage.com/McMenamins.html)
- June 2004 article in the Oregonian (http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1088251380108331.xml)
- May 1998 article in the Willamette Week (http://www.wweek.com/html/covera051398.html)
- BeerAdvocate reviews of their beers (http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/review/2104/)