Comments on: Don’t take my liquor store away!

By: Jason McArthur

Jason McArthur — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:42:58 +0000

I haven’t made it to the store off Interstate, but I have been to the liquor store that LeLo mentioned in Kenton. The only thing that I have against the Kenton store is all their product is behind the counter, so it can make shopping for a new/different liquor a little difficult, but they do have very friendly staff who are eager to help.

OLCC has a list of liquor stores on their site and it’s kept up-to-date. Store hours are listed as well.

http://www.olcc.state.or.us/pdfs/liquor_store_list.pdf

By: dieselboi

dieselboi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:12:27 +0000

Such a small world Morty. Next time I see him, I’ll ask. Once a month, I run into someone who was in one of my father’s classes.

By: morty

morty — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:30:02 +0000

I believe the Twelve22 is actually “LV’s Twelve22.”
The LV standing for LaVon Van, local business impresario and star of the state champ Grant High Basketball team in ’86.
Here’s your 3 degrees of separation, DB… your dad may know him from back then.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:16:51 +0000

We have the State-run liquor stores over here in Washington as well. Is it a regional thing?

By: warner

warner — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:04:01 +0000

Okay, can I just put in a prop for Barbur Liquor? 7 days a week til 10! You gotta love that. Nice folks too.

And just a little FYI: Those folks that run those liquor stores do very well. So it’s not just the State that is making money. At least they opened it up to optional Sundays awhile ago.

If the existing store licensee is smart, they’ll beg, borrow, and steal to get a spot in the new retail digs.

By: Samuel John Klein

Samuel John Klein — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:39:48 +0000

Originally Posted By DieselboiSamuel, The liquor store you are thinking of on MLK was forced closed a few years ago. The OLCC didn't like it.

Shame. That liquor store, I understand, was open some nights until 10:30 pm (the one at Capitol Hwy and Barbur Blvd is sometimes open that late). I'm not surprised it's gone. That's always been a rough and tough corner. I don't know how far back you go there, but if you go back far enough there was, on the NE corner of MLK and Fremont there was this scuzzy little quick-shop called the King Food Mart. They had a drive-through for those godawful quick-shop snacks you could get. There was also, it was said, more drug-dealing going on there than you could shake a SWAT team at. Bullets flew more than once over there. And you could probably get your illegal substances at the pull-up window too.

Originally Posted By DieselboiThe Cleo-Lillian Social Club is indeed closed. It was located just south of Pizza a Go Go on NE Williams. It is my understanding that a couple of individuals have purchased the building and want to designate it a national registry building and then restore it to its former self. I remember seeing a request go through the City's Bureau of Development. You can still go to Twelve22 on NE Fremont/Vancouver if you want an original social club.

Oh, yes. The Tweleve22, once known as the Texas Club. I always heard that was a tough place though. Someone I know who once worked as a taxi driver hated to have anything to do with the place. Things must be looking up indeed over in that corner of town.

By: Samuel John Klein

Samuel John Klein — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:33:25 +0000

Originally Posted By Cuisine Bonne FemmeTotal "Nanny State" mentality if you ask me. I mean, we are all adults and should be able to purchase legal beverages where and pretty much when we want to.

I agree with you there, but not "Nanny State". "Greedy" is more like it. If they were all nanny on us, they'd be doing it for our own good. It's good money, and I'm not convinced that the OLCC really cares even what orifice we put the alcohol in after we get it home, just as long as we get it home first. They like the income stream. As a matter of fact, I don't think the State of Oregon would be all that unhappy if we drank more, although the cost of liquor being what it is and the economy being what it is, one really can't afford alcholism either. Seriously ... I don't see how alcoholics afford it.

Originally Posted By Cuisine Bonne FemmeI guess however the State makes so much effin' money off of liquor sales that they ain't gonna let go of that control anytime soon.

You have the right of it there. Actually, the reason we have the OLCC is because Prohibition ended. Some genius at the State of Oregon realized that they had the means in place to control liquor sales and that made a great point at which taxing it is more efficient. I recently visited California for the first time in my life. I'll tell you, I still can't get over seeing that rack of Smirnoff and Black Velvet by the quick shop checkout stand. On sale, mind you. Strange.

By: Dieselboi

Dieselboi — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:07:37 +0000

John,
Not sure what you mean by the “nasty comments about those of us who have lived here a long time” statement.

Trust me, the detritus I speak of are not long time residents who are being “displaced.”

Lelo, I didn’t realize there was a store up there. Not too far I guess. Honestly, I’ll probably end up stopping by Pearl Wine and Spirits just off the Broadway Bridge on my walks home in the future.

By: Cuisine Bonne Femme

Cuisine Bonne Femme — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:53:49 +0000

I think the whole idea of how Oregon has a State monopoly on Liquor sales here is just disgusting. Total “Nanny State” mentality if you ask me. I mean, we are all adults and should be able to purchase legal beverages where and pretty much when we want to. This is also a State where one can basically walk into a strip club any old time, pot is considered something quaint or fine for medicinal use for the most part, and we have some of the most liberal freedom of speech laws on the books. And I can buy beer and wine just about anywhere, but somehow Vodka or even weak alcohol liquors are something I need to be protected from by the State? Ugh.

I guess however the State makes so much effin’ money off of liquor sales that they ain’t gonna let go of that control anytime soon.

By: Dieselboi

Dieselboi — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:00:01 +0000

Samuel,
The liquor store you are thinking of on MLK was forced closed a few years ago. The OLCC didn’t like it.

The Cleo-Lillian Social Club is indeed closed. It was located just south of Pizza a Go Go on NE Williams. It is my understanding that a couple of individuals have purchased the building and want to designate it a national registry building and then restore it to its former self. I remember seeing a request go through the City’s Bureau of Development.

You can still go to Twelve22 on NE Fremont/Vancouver if you want an original social club.