Bars, Restaurants, & Taverns

ROMAN’S

Ad above LEFT is from The Fountain newspaper, May 1971. The ad RIGHT is from the program Right On Rev Jones Oct 31st and Dowager Empress Ball Nov 14, 1971.

GLAPN [Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest interviewed Steve Suss in 2011. He is a portion of the interview: “what was the name? Unknown [Then]…he [Roman] called me a couple of weeks later and he says, ‘I've found a bar down here and I want you to take a look at it.’ So, I drove down and took a look at it with him. And it was a nice bar, so I said, ‘Well if you want it, we'll buy it.’

This was the first tavern they [Steve and Roman] owned in Portland, circa 1969.

November 1969 Per the Vector Magazine from San Francisco [November 1969, page 22], “A new addition to the Portland scene is Roman’s located at 728 SW 9th. What a festive time can be had there. Many of Portland show people (Broadway November ‘69 Nov. 2nd) frequent this lively establishment.” Below RIGHT TOP is an article about party at The Hoyt Hotel in the Oregon Journal newspaper, May 4, 1971, page 3. Below RIGHT BOTTOM from the October 1971 issue of The Fountain newspaper, Polynesian Dinner.

Above LEFT a photograph of the interior of Roman/Roman’s Tavern. Above Right “Roman’s wood nickel”.

THEN NAME CHANGE FROM ROMAN’S TO ROMAN’S TAVERN.

In the March 1972 issue of The Fountain, Steve Suss is mentioned as well as Roman’s and Embers:

Ivancie began his war on the gay community in August of last year (1971). At that time the licensing requested by Steve Sus for Roman’s Tavern was brought before City Council…The issue of gay bars was brought up again on November 18. This time Sus was requesting a Class B Dispensers license for the Embers, a bar just behind Roman’s. Suss hoped to knock out the wall between the two, thus extending Roman’s into Embers and making it one big bar, using the Roman’s present front door as the only entrance for the expanded outlet. Officer Rosenbloom again asserted the Police Department’s feeling that “the saturation point (for gay bars) has been reached in our opinion in the downtown area, from Oak Street to Yamhill and from Broadway to 10th. The downtown core area is becoming nothing, what used to be called club row, is becoming nothing but homosexual outlets we just don’t feel that the police bureau can give sanctification for that.” [later] February 10…Suss applied again.” [full account below]

·1972 – “Portland Forum proudly presents Key It in – England Swings” map on page 13 Roman’s Tavern still listed” ROMAN added Roman’s Lounge or The New Roman’s Lounge– 949 SW Stark to this location – so it had a restaurant AND a lounge. NOTE 949 SW Stark is the former location of RIPTIDE. Following the advertisements, articles, the space is believed to go from Roman’s to Roman’s Tavern BACK to Roman’s. In an ad July 1972 – The Fountain newspaper, Roman’s Tavern has announced it is now Roman’s only.

Interesting, within one month from July 1972 when the bars name was changed to Roman’s Tavern to Roman’s, Steve changes the name to Focal Point per full page ad in The Fountain newspaper, August 1972 but it states, “Formerly Roman’s Tavern”. [Below LEFT] Roman’s is mentioned in the Oregon Journal August 30, 1972, page 2 [Below RIGHT] however this mention may be for Roman’s Tavern [Formerly Riptide - 949 SW Stark].

Per Facebook post: think it was Romans and then had a contest to name the new bar. Focal Point won. The area is no longer and was behind Nordstrom area.

Ad in Northwest Gay Review December 1976-January 1977 

728 SW 9th 227-9955
Years:

Before it was Roman’s it was named Fiddler’s 3 or Fiddler’s Three opening in 1966 until 1969.

Roman’s - 1969-1971

Roman’s Tavern – name change late 1971 from Roman’s to Roman’s Tavern

Focal Point – changed name from Roman’s Tavern to Focal Point between August 1972 and September 1972 per Oregonian article ad in The Fountain]

Somebody’s Place [Roman sold the Focal Point to Glen Dugger around 1979] moved the bar to 319 SW 11th phone 227-5887

Scandals [various locations]

citations & references:

  • Listed in GAY PLACES 1971 International Guild Guide just as Roman’s (Great for the clean-cut crowd) with phone number: 227-9955 and connotations: G, B, WE, YC or Gay, Beer, Weekends, Young Crowd and listed in Guild Guide 1973 USA & International.

  • January 1972 Vector Magazine from SFO states: “off to ROMAN’S for a delightful get-together with our hosts, Steve [Pickmen] and Kim [Chidester]. The bartenders here roller skate behind the bar —Talk about fast service!

  • Listed in Damron Address Book/Address Guide 1972 under Bars/Club with connotations YC – Young/Collegiate, * Very Popular