Drunk Jan 19, 2011 at 2:29 pm

McMenamins Crystal Hotel Announces Opening

Marjorie Skinner
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Comments

1
Now if only McMenamins could make a decent beer.
tak on January 19, 2011 at 2:51 PM Report this
2
In honor of them creating 70 jobs, can we declare a 24 hour moratorium on turning up our collective noses at McMenamin's?

Any other city would kill to host this chain, and I think most would agree that if you're going to have a chain of restaurants/hotels/venues/etc, you'd be hard-pressed to do a better job than they have.

(This is all with the caveat that I nearly never go anywhere in their universe except Backstage.)
Commenty Colin on January 19, 2011 at 3:36 PM Report this
3
I like McMenamins. I like their fries and their beer. Sue me.
kiala on January 19, 2011 at 3:45 PM Report this
4
I do have to admit to liking their fries too. And it's a great place to take my family so I can pretend I'm taking them to all those 'really hip Portland places the young people go to' without actually taking them to those places.
BruceWang on January 19, 2011 at 4:00 PM Report this
5
I find the food and beverages from McMenamins to be generally average. But from a historical and artistic perspective, I dont see anyone else doing nearly as much good restoration work in the PNW.
Graham on January 19, 2011 at 4:23 PM Report this
6
@ BruceWang, yeah I love that there's always a different one to take the out-of-town family to gawk at.
Commenty Colin on January 19, 2011 at 4:51 PM Report this
7
Sure, the rooms are cheap, but it'll take 17 hours to check in, your room will be cold and greasy, and it won't have been cleaned in the last week.
fahqueue on January 19, 2011 at 6:21 PM Report this
8
That artwork is creeping me out because it looks just like an acid trip I had in the sex club that used to be where the new hotel is now.
Todd Mecklem on January 19, 2011 at 7:20 PM Report this
9
My only issue with McMenamins is that they seem chronically understaffed. I once waited in line for 35 minutes at the Bagdad because I really wanted a beer. A nice lady give all of us in line updates on what was happening in the movie.
humanclock on January 19, 2011 at 7:46 PM Report this
10
Cooooool. Can find better beer and food, sure. They do a good job of filling in the gaps of the mid range stuff. I think they are a good face/intro many tourists and such for Oregon. Wouldn't you rather people spend money on crappy food at a NW based company rather than a multinational corporate chain?
Mizzzzzzz on January 19, 2011 at 7:56 PM Report this
11
I hope they have left a sly wink to the building's history somewhere. At least have a cocktail called the Glory Hole or something.
smapdi on January 19, 2011 at 9:40 PM Report this
12
There might be better beer in town, but that's because there's truly awesome beer in town. And thing is, you can drink their beer in their movies theaters, which are also pubs. THIS IS UNUSUAL. Do we forget how good we have it?

That said, I object to their popcorn. No excuse.

Anyway, keep up the great renovation work, McMs. And a Communication Breakdown with Boca, puhlease.
anylandingisagoodlanding on January 19, 2011 at 10:58 PM Report this
13
+1 to CC

We can act snooty about them only because we've got it good. If we lived in, I don't know, Wyoming, McMenamins would be the coolest shit around.

Their stuff is reliable. Not great, but I'll eat one of their burgers when I want to eat something comforting and familiar that doesn't require a lot of thought. That's not meant to be a backhanded compliment, either. I'm genuinely happy that someone fulfills that role.
Joe Streckert on January 20, 2011 at 1:13 AM Report this
14
If they had just left up the old Flossie's sign with the "10 oz. Bone Dinner," I would have congratulated them roundly.

I -like so many of us- am a former McMenamin's employee. I have good and bad to say about that. I love what they do with a historic property. It's nice that they have made it that there is actually one good place to get a bite to eat in Roseburg. In general, I'm for 'em. Doesn't mean I have to drink their crap liquor, though.
on January 20, 2011 at 9:12 AM Report this
15
"I hope they have left a sly wink to the building's history somewhere. At least have a cocktail called the Glory Hole or something."

I'm curious about this—don't they typically provide lots of historical context on their renovated buildings? It'll be interested to see how the quirky history brochure on this place turns out.

Alison Hallett on January 20, 2011 at 9:13 AM Report this
16
ING. interesting.
Alison Hallett on January 20, 2011 at 9:14 AM Report this
17
Another thing about the building, it was also home to a club called the Desert Room, which was something of a hive of scum and villainy in the early 20th century. That place was a den of illicit booze and general gangsterism and later went on to be a bathhouse.

It has potentially the seediest history of any of their properties, and yes, hopefully homages will be paid to both aspects of its history.
Joe Streckert on January 20, 2011 at 12:44 PM Report this

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