It’s never business as usual at McMenamins Pubs & Breweries, the Portland, Oregon-based restaurant group that has built an eclectic collection of eateries over the past four decades.
What began with a desire to recreate the family-friendly community feel of a traditional Irish pub has grown into a network of dozens of hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars in Oregon and Washington.
Brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin started their multifaceted business in 1983 after finding some good deals on existing spaces in the Portland area that could be converted into pub-like hangouts. At the heart of their vision for the business was the desire to be able to brew their own beer, which they soon were able to do thanks to the passage of the so-called Oregon Brewpub Bill in 1985.
“The idea of making our own stuff has always been very important to us,” said Dan McMenamin, CEO and son of co-founder Mike McMenamin.
That ethos has only grown stronger over the years as the company, still owned by the McMenamin family, has grown. In addition to a dozen hotels and 64 restaurants, pubs and bars, McMenamin’s operations also include breweries, distilleries, a winery, an artisan coffee roastery, bakeries and fruit and vegetable gardens.
But McMenamins’ penchant for crafting food and beverage is only part of its story. The company has also become known for its ability to transform existing spaces – historic theaters, schools, abandoned churches – into welcoming establishments.
Dan McMenamin said the 1990s transformation of Edgefield, once a “poor farm” where needy people could live and learn skilled trades, was a pivotal moment in McMenamins’ history. The 74-acre property in Troutdale, Oregon, was abandoned in the 1980s, damaged by fire and overgrown with wild blackberries, but McMenamins undertook a complete redevelopment over the course of several years, creating a hotel, several restaurants and bars, event spaces, several gardens, a swimming pool and a golf course.
“It changed our vision of what we could do,” McMenamin said. “I don’t think at that point there were many people other than my dad and maybe a few others who thought this would ever work.”
Even though the pace of expansion has slowed, McMenamins continues to implement the lessons learned from each of its new revitalization efforts and discover new ways to creatively use the space it acquires, McMenamin said.
“Every property offers new lessons,” he said.
The Edgefield redesign has also helped to ignite the company’s deep appreciation for art and history, which remain integral elements of its business. McMenamins properties are known for their numerous colorful, often whimsical murals that reflect the history of the spaces and surrounding area.
Music is another essential element of the McMenamin’s experience, as many of its establishments feature live music and even the murals and menu items reflect the influence of music on the founders. The Grateful Dead and The Beatles are among the musical groups depicted in McMenamin’s artwork, and the Communication Breakdown Burger – named after a Led Zeppelin song – is a staple in many of the company’s pubs. Another musical reference can be found at the East 19th Nervous Breakdown pizza, named after a Rolling Stones song.
While many of the McMenamins locations offer pub fare that focuses on local and quality ingredients, some locations also have more upscale menus. For example, the dinner menu at Black Rabbit Restaurant & Bar in Edgefield includes a grilled ribeye steak with parmesan finger potatoes, broccolini, mushrooms, red wine reduction and a pan-seared salmon fillet with proprietary Edgefield Pinot Gris Beurre Blanc, wild rice pilaf and roasted asparagus.
McMenamin said the company is looking for ways to be more efficient with the menu items and ingredients that can be used across multiple locations, but running a standalone, highly differentiated business has become a core strength of the company. With kitchens of all shapes and sizes and a wide range of customers to please, McMenamin’s has always tried to approach each location with an appreciation for its unique characteristics.
“We’ve chosen a hard path, for better or for worse, because it’s, for lack of a better word, fun,” McMenamin said. “It’s not the most efficient, it’s probably not the most profitable, but it’s perhaps the most fun because there are always new challenges.”
