citations & references:

• NW Fountain November 1981/Page 19: “Before long you’ll need reservation to eat here. Skinners can only seat about 30 people. Until fairly recently it was known only to people from its neighborhood and a few others who found it by word of mouth. The word of mouth and an increased advertising and promotion program have brought in a lot of new faces over the past few months, however, and nearly everyone who first dropped by to check it out are bringing in more first-timers. The reason for the increase in regulars is simply that Ken and Lee serve up great home cooking in large quantities at low prices! Open only from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. the breakfast and lunch menu (breakfast is served at all times) is original and good. Closed Sundays. Try them for brunch on Saturday - but try them early. And on Halloween night they’re open from midnight until noon Sunday – proceeds of the pancakes and eggs special go to TCF. And Leather Syndicate members get 10 percent discount here.” 

• An article in the Cascade Voice newspaper, November 12, 1982, page 38: Skinner’s Café Serves Wholesome Food, “…Ken Forrest, the colorful character who has owned Skinners for the past four years…”three years ago when I was earning a somewhat questionable living as a keypunch operator, Skinners was a regular lunch stop for me. The clientele was basically straight…those straight days (“days of horror” as Ken describes them) ended about a year and a half ago.’

  “Now Skinner’s basically caters to Gays (some straights still come in)and it has a staff as flamboyant as you can get. Like Lee Bard, the resident wait on, who works Monday through Friday, and “Vera the Bitch” Lee’s alter ego, who works on Saturday…One thing Ken is particularly proud of is the banquet room at Skinners which opened last spring.”

• Cited in Counseling Center for Sexual Minorities Referral and Resources Book Revised April 1, 1980, under Mixed Restaurants

• Cited in Gay Areas Private Telephone Directory, Pacific Northwest Page 15 Winter 1981-82

  1982 – NW Fountain, February, page 19 Ken and Lee…remodeling is underway, and the small (capacity 30) place looks great.

• Cited in Cascade Voice October 1982  under Taverns – Lounges

• Cited in handout Majestic Hotel and Club Baths of Portland presents PORTLAND 1983 with connotations R – restaurant

• Listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1983 (M) (R)

• Listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1984 (L) (M) (R)

• Listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1985 (L) (M) (R)

• Not listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1986-1989