Marking one of the first closures of our relatively new wave of craft cocktail bars around town, Central announced earlier this month that they would be closing their downtown bar as of New Year’s Day, 2013 with limited hours leading up to January 1. This means you officially have three more nights to drink at this diamond in the rough of downtown’s so-called “ass-hole alley,” the much improved but still slightly douchey stretch of late-night bars, restaurants, and Voodoo doughnuts that runs Ankeny between SW 2nd and 3rd. Central has survived for just over two years, and has been one of my favorite establishments for their beautiful and cozy space that feels like a bar removed from the drunken antics of its downtown locale and for their outstanding cocktail program that has been as an essential part of my own craft drink education. I will miss them dearly, though proprietor Dustin Knox promises to open sometime next year on the East side of the river, which he expects to be more supportive of a drink program of such caliber.
Until then, however, Central will be open for normal hours (4 pm – 2 am) today Saturday, December 29, as well as New Year’s Eve. Grab one of their spectacular cocktails on your way to or from dinner or whatever you have planned, and help say goodbye to one of the most special watering holes in town.
- Eliza Sohn
- Goodbye, dear friend
Central is located at 220 SW Ankeny.
Great, more anti-douchebag douchebags on the east side.
That’s weird cos this is/was the best bar on the block. Maybe that damn curtain had something to do with it’s demise. Or douche holes only like jager bombs.
Maybe if they make a decent crepe they wouldn’t be in such a predicament.
Actually the staff here was extremely nice when I was there 2 months ago on a date. And that can be rare for Portland. I generally avoid that area.
Ohai, is it too late to come in and feel all superior to the people who hang around an area of dowtown a few hundred yards from my preferred area of downtown and thusly are totally uncool?
Not that I disagree, but I generally think EVERYONE downtown is a douche. Or a junkie. Or a junkiedouche. I used to grant Ground Kontrol an exception since I have been going to various incarnations in various locations longer then the current owners have ever heard of the place.. but several months ago when I attempted to get two quarters for the arcade machines from the bar changed from 5 dimes that I had and was curtly turned away with “We don’t do that.” it was clear that they no longer had any interest in serving the retro gaming community. So Ground Kontrol is also on the douchelist now, it was just a matter of time since they started serving liquor though..