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here are a lot of things people
don’t seem to know about Hobo’s.
Free parking. Pool tables. Shang
hai tunnels.
No, the place is not for sale, but
yes, a new chef has taken over the kitchen. And
upholding the establishments 22-year friend
ship with Portland’s sexual minorities communi
ty are Hobo’s straight and married proprietors.
Housed within a registered historic brick
building in Old Town, Hobo’s comfortable dining
room includes a small outdoor courtyard. Dinner
conversation quietly is underscored by live music
from a piano bar in the adjacent lounge. And
nearly hidden beyond the more intimate recesses
of the lounge is a games room featuring pool
tables, dartboards, pinball machines and a sound
track with its own unique rhythm.
“We get the total spectrum,” owner Harriett
Guthrie says, “from one customer who brings in
his aunt who’s 95, to late at night when we have
21 -year-olds coming in after work.”
Some guests simply flow from the dining room
to the lounge. “Others come for the very different,
upbeat games room atmosphere, some specifically
for the piano bar, and some just for dinner,” hus
band and business associate Andy Guthrie says.
Now, the diverse patrons of Hobo’s can enjoy
a new diversity in the kitchen’s bill of fare, too.
“We just hired a new chef a couple of weeks
ago,” Harriett announces. “She’s very much into
fresh foods. She has updated the menu to
include more salads, appetizers and things that
aren’t traditional to our menu.”
House specialties of prime rib and deep-fried
honey chicken are joined by dishes focusing on
fresh ingredients, herbs and lighter fare with the
warm summer months in mind, says Kara Pritch
ett, the young and energetic new head cook.
“I think a chefs personality really makes
what goes on,” Harriett mentions. “She’s very
strong. She knows where she’s going. She knows
her food, and she’s had really good experience.”
Pritchett describes her approach more as a
facelift to the menu rather than an extreme
change. She began by updating existing dishes
before introducing vegetarian and seafood options.
“My flavors are really clean,” she says. “I’m a
real purist when it comes to cooking.”
In addition, Hobo’s is considering introduc
ing some theme nights. “We had a few really fun
themed birthday parties,” Harriett says, “so we
thought we might take it to the next level. Just
something maybe a little different.”
But the more things change, the more they
stay the same— especially when it comes to
repeat customers. Beyond the appeal of the new
menu, the piano bar and the pool tables, Harri
ett and Andy attribute Hobo’s success to the
loyalty of both its customers and its 20-member
staff. Low employee turnover has meant familiar
tune i. 2001 » j M a t M * n
A S ide of L uck
and a T wist of F ate
“With everything that’s happening with the
Pearl District and the waterfront, there is a lot
more diversity of people,” Harriett notices.
“There are a lot of young people at the water
front apartments, and there seems to be more
mature, maybe even older, people buying those
lofts in the Pearl District.”
One of the most surprising things to this
Hobo's mix of cocktails, crowds and cuisine benefits from its diversity
couple through the years has been how persis-
by Timothy Krause
tent rumors can be— especial-
I ly one in particular.
o
faces to the clientele, many of whom
“Everybody keeps telling
3
have been coming long before Harri
me that Hobo’s is for sale. I
don’t know where that comes
ett stepped behind the bar.
| from. I hear it probably every
“You can’t see people a couple
* month or two. I’ve never had
times a week and not become friends
it for sale and don’t intend to,
with a lot of them,” she points out. “I
so it’s odd," Harriett says
have people who come in four, five,
incredulously.
six times a week. A lot of people eat
out, and a lot of people I know don’t
“But,” she adds with a
laugh, “I got some great advice
even use their kitchens. So we keep
early on from [Starky’s owners]
our lounge menu in a price range
Carl and Archie. They said:
where people came come in and have
‘Honey, don’t worry about it. If
burgers or whatever more than once a
week.”
they’re talking about you,
they’re not talking about me.
A native of Walla Walla, Wash.,
And if they’re not talking
Harriett came to Hobo’s somewhat
about me, they’re talking
out of the blue 12 years ago. She had
about you!’ ”
been a customer at the restaurant for
a number of years.
When digging deeper into
Hobo’s lore, however, rumors
While sitting at the bar one night
Thanks to Harriett Guthrie, Hobo’s is a place where everybody
give way to legend. For be
with her friends, Harriett was asked
knows your name
neath the modem piano bar
by the owner if they would like to buy
the place. “I don’t know what made us think aspects of the business. Until you’ve done it for and video games lie remnants of Portland’s infa
that novices could run a restaurant!” she a while, it can be pretty scary.”
mous shanghai tunnels.
observes with bemusement.
Taking over Hobo’s was a happy fete for Har
The basement is not open to the public, but
Harriett didn’t even know the place was for riett, and meeting Andy was just as much a a glimpse into the shadows reveals dirt floors,
sale. She was working at the time in a collection
lucky coincidence. The two became acquainted, stone walls and bars over a bricked-up window.
appropriately enough, at a Portland bar in 1992. Andy alludes to a mysterious passageway in the
management position for a medical center.
She initially hesitated but doubted her
Originally from South Africa, Andy had a wall that continues on through other buildings
friends would go through with the business ven penchant for travel. He worked in bars and
in the block, while Harriett coyly hints that
ture if she wasn’t a partner. So Harriett took the restaurants until he saved enough money to join
Hobo’s even might be haunted.
plunge and eventually bought out her friends’ his friends abroad. After a couple of years in
“I’m here day and night, and you definitely
hear weird noises and things. The building in
shares in the restaurant with no regrets.
Europe, he set his sights on the United States.
“I couldn’t go back and sit behind a comput
Once here, Andy took advantage of “drive- particular seems to have a lot of history to it,”
er for eight hours anymore,” she says. “I love away” programs, chauffeuring vehicles from one she teases.
being with people. And what better place than coast to the other and seeing firsthand a lot of
Tall tales aside, Harriett emphasizes that the
a restaurant or bar?”
what’s in between. He traversed the country best part of owning Hobo’s is having a place
where she simply feels comfortable.
For the first five years or so, Harriett bar- four times before ending up in the Rose City.
tended a lot. As a longtime customer, she Portland and the terrain of the Columbia
“I want my customers to feel the same
already knew most of the regulars; many contin Gorge reminded him of South Africa, and once way, she concludes. “Everybody’s welcome
ued to patronize Hobo’s.
he met Harriett, it wasn’t long before he decid here
Socializing with friends and customers has ed he was here to stay.
been the part of the business she has enjoyed the
Perhaps one of the greatest changes for Hobo’s H o b o ’S is located, at 12 0 N .W . Third Ave. and can
most. But if bartending came easily, other areas of through the years has been the character of its be reached by calling 5 0 3 '2 2 4 -3 2 8 5 . The restaurant’s
running an establishment were more challenging. surrounding neighborhood. Once-common drug new sum m er menu and other details can be found on
“I hadn’t done this before,” Harriett com dealers, for example, left the area when a police its Internet site at www .hobos.citysearch.com .
ments. “There were a lot of things that weren’t precinct office opened down the street. The new
visible on the surface. Insurance things, things Portland Classical Chinese Garden, residential TIMOTHY K r a u se is a writer and editor in Portland
the owner wanted— a lot more than just the developments and commercial improvements all who now w ants to pen a novel set m the shanghai
food. You have to suddenly learn different have led more people into Old Town.
tunnels. E -m ad him at tim kra@ m illenicom .com .
in
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