8 JUStiQUt
MARCH 16. 2007
E squire M otors , inc .
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northwest
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Who better to open a new bar for a mixed queer
Connie and Joanne Perkins opened the d<x>rs of
crowd than a lesbian and gay power duo? Joanne
Utopia Café on Southeast Belmont Street and 33rd
Stahl, a Portland dweller for more
Avenue 12 years ago.
/
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>
than 20 years, and her longtime
Joanne described a very
friend David Lewis, who is new to
different neighhorhcxid than
town, plan to open Bent Bar at
the one that is there now.
633 S.E. Powell Blvd, in mid
“The Belmont Dairy was just
March.
an empty building. I think
“We’ve been friends for a mil
the homeless were using it to
lion years,” said Lewis. “[Joanne) is
live in. That was '94- There
.the one who talked me into coming to Portland,
really wasn’t much on that street going on.”
and we’ve both been in the industry, so we thought
The street that is now home to more than a
let’s do something together!”
dozen restaurants in only a tew hkx:ks was, at the
Bent Bar, a treestanding establishment with
time, only spotted with Utopia Café and It’s a
a big parking lot and an enclosed patio, sits at the
Beautiful Pizza. Utopia began as a dessert and cof
foot of the Ross Island Bridge. The owners said
feehouse and later added the breakfast menu,
they like the location because it provides another
which has earned it the reputation of having the
alternative business for gays to go to on the east
best breakfast in Portland last year by 105.1 FM
side of the river.
The Buzz, and a reputation in almost every
They also expressed a desire to make the bar as
Portland restaurant guide.
open and friendly to everyone as possible. “A lot of
With a guiding principle of treating their employ
places you go you’re not welcome if you're a guy or ees and customers well, the Perkinses built a thriving
a gal," said Lewis. While they might eventually
business in an area where there wasn’t much. Their
hold a ladies night during the week, Lewis and
presence helped form a neighhorhcxxl and won them
Stahl said they hope people will come in, check the
many gixxl friends in the community.
place out and feel comfortable—whoever they are.
The lives these women have touched exceed the
The strip bar turned intimate nightclub will not
borders of the Northwest. When Hurricane Katrina
only offer affordable options for lunch and dinner,
struck the Gulf Coast, they donated 10 percent of
hut video poker will he available and DJs will spin
their profits for an entire month to a school affected
dance music on the weekends. The crowd-pleaser,’
by the disaster. They donated directly to the school
however, is sure to he the dance pole, which the
to ensure that the money was received by the people
owners retained and plan to use in contests.
they wanted to help. As a result, they were not only
“We want people to leave their attitudes at
the largest donor to that school hut also inspired
home and enjoy a space without it,” Lewis said. He
other Portlanders to make donations.
and Stahl imagine that people will stop by for cock
Jan. 15 was the last day they owned Utopia.
tails with their friends and that the neighhorhixxl
“We’d done all we could do there. It was time to do
bar will come to feel like Cheers.
something different,” remarked Joanne.
For more information call 503-2 30-BENT.
The Perkinses held posts working beside their
employees,
building
relationships with their
staff. Connie added:
“We made sure everyone
[st111J had jobs. That was
important to us.”
For now, they are
enjoying not having to
work, agreeing they
miss the clientele but
not the hours and
promising that they will
let their old customers
know if they decide to
return to rhe restaurant
business.
business
Coming Out: The Gay (Men's) Experience in Mexico
June 16th - July 6th
Neighborhood Cafe Sees Change
Phone
503 274-9936
k
Merger Brings
Transformation
1040 N.W. 22nd, Suite 330, Portland, OR 97210
Big City Produce
Local Folks, Local Produce
BBST
ÄgS
&Vood sy^
Little Store . . .
Big an
Diversity.
722 N Sumner (at N Albina) • Portland • 503-460-3830
David Lewis and Joanne Stahl will greet you with smiles at Bent,
Portland's newest gay bar.
Aaron Yeagle and
Roh Patton, the two
men behind the Internet
marketing and design
company Transmutation
Sciences, are ‘turning
Web sites into gold.
Transmutation pndes
itself on working with
small businesses to
educate them on build
ing a Web presence.
“We’re not only
a designer or a search