21 — Dockside Saloon & Sellwood Inn/Saloon

History by the Glass

It was just over 28 years ago to the day this episode was released -- Jan. 30, 1994...Super Bowl Sunday -- that the venerable Dockside Saloon in rapidly gentrifying industrial NW Portland was thrust into the national spotlight by that infamous trio of Eckardt, Harding, and...Gillooly. Of course you know the basic knee-whacking plot of that most surreal sports scandal of the '90s, but we set out to see how the salty workingperson's bar at the core of Tonya Harding's fall from grace was doing in 2022 (6:16). Nearly swallowed whole by a whale of a modern development behind it, the rickety Dockside has defied the odds and somehow stayed afloat in the midst of the relentless waves of "progress" that have consumed so many others like it across the city.

The second part of our doubleheader took us to SE Portland's Sellwood neighborhood (52:01) -- once a weekend getaway for sternwheeling city folk looking to cut loose at the turn-of-the-century and now yet another steadily redeveloping Portland borough. With modest expectations we dutifully ponied up at the bar to check the Sellwood Saloon (formerly Sellwood Inn) off our list, but were thankfully reminded once again that the most sincere conviviality and earnest communities of care can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Anthony Bourdain used to say that if it looked like he was really enjoying himself in a scene on camera, then he had actually enjoyed himself that much in real life. The joy was real and almost palpable.

Same for us in this episode. We were just so damn glad to be at both of these bars and the drinks and conversation flowed accordingly. Pour a cold one and enjoy.

We'll be back in early February as we celebrate our four-year HBTG anniversary and conclude(!!) this incredible, winding first phase of our noble journey...

Episode Chasers:

John Madden Miller Lite Commercial

Mila Kunis Jim Beam Commercials

L.A. Law Series Premier

"I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"

Late Show with David Letterman -- Gillooly...Another Gillooly...and the ULTIMATE Gillooly