21.2001
18
W
ith a name like Wild A b
andon, an establishment has
a lot to live up to.
This funky gay-owned
restaurant, located in a cozy
single-story building covered in ivy, makes the
grade. It serves an eclectic array of “new Amer
ican” cuisine, which covers everything from
cioppino to risotto, from crab cakes to strip
steaks, from tortas to tortes.
Inside, the tables are covered with butcher
paper and little jars of crayons for patrons’ self-
expression. Even the chairs encompass a diverse
mix of styles.
A fresco on the rear wall depicts muscled
men and women wearing green togas and eating
apples in an Eden-like setting. The rest of the
place is filled with local artwork for sale.
T ne restaurant is lit by a combination of faux
19th century London lamps and colored glass
7 0s swag lights, an obsession of owner Michael
Cox. A two-level patio out back is decorated
with herb and plant boxes.
Before Wild Abandon opened, the building
was home to several other restaurants. Back in the
70s it was a massage parlor, Ginger’s Sexy Sauna.
Cox bought Wild Abandon along with four
other waiters. “1 wanted to open a restaurant,
but I didn’t have the money to do it myself. I
sorta had this utopian concept that our differ
ences would all create some kind of wonderful
balance and it would all come together and be
great. Sort of like communism. It fell apart like
the Soviet Union and at the same time.”
Cox left for six months when the differences
didn’t get ironed out. When he came back, he
bought out the others. He has largely run the
restaurant himself for the past six years.
Many of his customers are members of the sex-
ual minorities com
“You know that old saying, ‘Loca
munity. Wild Aban
tion, location, location’ ? It’s true. It’s
don returns the favor
been a struggle,” Cox says. “People
by supporting a num
have to come here on purpose, so not
ber of gay and les
much business happens on accident
bian causes, includ
like you would have if you were on
ing Cascade AIDS
Hawthorne or Northwest 21st or 23rd.
Project and Basic
It’s more difficult to open a restaurant
Rights Oregon.
and build your clientele in a residen
The restaurant
tial location like this.”
also
helps
raise
Because the building is grand
money
for Our
fathered in from before the area was
House, a residential
zoned residential, Wild Abandon can
care facility for those
not expand its site. Space is at a pre
living with and dying
mium, with food stacked to the walls
from AIDS. The
in the kitchen.
owner adopted the
Cox would like to add a fryer, but
nonprofit partly be
no space is available under the fume
cause it is local and
hood. He also would like to repaint
needs financial sup
the outside walls without tearing
port. “People need to
down the ivy.
remember that the
Regardless, Wild Abandon has
AIDS epidemic is
prospered, and when people visit, they
Wild Abandon owner Michael Cox admits his original utopian concept turned out to
not over,” says Cox,
tend to come back. It will celebrate its
be less than ideal
who has had a couple
seventh anniversary in February.
of friends spend their last days at Our House.
man parked a truck with giant billboards out
This is what happens when a restaurant cul
He also has supported a variety of lesbian causes, side the restaurant and began shouting anti-gay
tivates community support, Cox says. “I kinda,
including sponsoring a softball team. The goal, messages through a bullhorn.
you know, believe that you get back what you
according to Cox, is to make everyone feel welcome.
The owner also makes sure his employees,
put out there in the universe.” |P1
“I think it’s a win-win situation,” he says of most of whom are straight, create an accepting
the charitable contributions. “Just from a busi environment.
W i l d A b a n d o n is located at 2411 S.E. Belmont
ness standpoint, people appreciate that. It’s
“The 20-something crowd I generally hire are
St. and can be reached at 503-232-4458. The
goodwill for the community. It’s good for busi so incredibly open, you don’t know which ones of restaurant is open from 5:30 to ¡0 p.m. Sunday
ness, and it’s just good karma.”
them are gay and which ones are straight,” he
through Thursday, from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday
This symbiotic relationship is not surprising says. “The lines are so gray, and they are so and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends.
considering Wild Abandon is located in liberal
accepting. It seems to be just a nonissue.”
Southeast Portland. Cox recalls only one
In fact, Wild Abandon’s primary obstacle has
EH R EN E v a n s ’ second hobby was organometallic
homophobic incident in more than 6 1/2 years nothing to do with sexuality. The restaurant’s resi chemistry. His first was writing. He can be reached
of operation: During the Measure 13 battle, a dential neighborhood somewhat limits its potential.
at ehrkid2000@excite.com.
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