Building The Bar at Dig A Pony
Dig A Pony opens it’s doors to the public today for the first time. There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears gone into bringing it into fruition. One of the features we’re most proud of is the huge wooden bar top that curves round in a horeshoe right in the middle of the floor. We think it might be one of the largest in the city. And completing has been a 2 month labour of love for our craftsmen Nick Musso, Jason Rens and Pete Williams.
First came the frame, made from 100 year old reclaimed Doug Fir beams…
Building The Frame
Then began the long process of laying the Walnut wooden top, and smoothing it into a perfect curve…
Laying The Top
Then, inspired by the stained glass window we’d installed, we cut diamond shapes into the wood and filled them with this textured gold leather.
The Textured Leather
The Diamonds In The Rough
The final stage involved staining the front heavily, and cutting metal strips to secure the top and bottom…
Nick Musso - A Big Fan of Flashdance.
After the long process of laying and smoothing the wood into a perfect curve, then came the task of sealing and staining it to protect it from all the drinks that will inevitably be spilled on it…
All in all the bar has turned out so much better than we could have ever hoped for. And hopefully, come tonight, it’ll be able to withstand the pressure of 100 pairs of elbows clamouring for a drink.
Ready For Business...
Dig A Pony opens on July 28th 2011. It’s situated at 736 SE Grand Portland. Stop by and say hello!
Dig A Pony’s Antique Piano
We’ve were generously given a piano by one of our owners Aaron Hall’s Mom. It’s a beautifully made instrument bearing a stamp of the Krakauer Bros. New York.
The Dig A Pony Piano
Up until recently we thought it was 90 years old, but when we a nice old man came in to tune it, he informed us it was actually 123 years old, dating back to 1888. This makes it officially an antique!
Tuning The Antique
We’re going to reserve the playing of it for special occasions and special hands, and we’re also considering a sign that reads “If you dare to put your drink on me, I dare say your drink will cease to be” or something of that nature.
No Beverages Near The Ivory
Dig A Pony opens on the 28th July. Check out digaponypdx.tumblr.com or their Facebook page for more information.
Stained Glass Window
Continuing our collaborative approach to the aesthetic of Dig A Pony, one of our owners Aaron Hall’s Dad, Chris, has designed an ornate stained glass window for inside the bar. It’s based on a conceptual design he made many years ago. Here’s Aaron posing (glumly) with the the original concept…
Stained Glass Design- Photo by Randall Garcia
Chris spent a few months working on it in his basement and last week it was finally ready to bring in to the bar…
Don't Drop It!
We’re really happy with it, as it represents an understated yet ornate feature for the space. The daylight bounces through it in interesting ways giving colour and life to the wood around it. We’ve also been inspired to use the hexagonal shape to inform other elements of the bar, which we reveal soon. Next time you’re passing on Grant though, have a look in and see what you think.
Dig A Pony's Stained Glass (Blue tape to be removed)
Dig A Pony opens in 2 weeks. It’s situated at 736 Se Grand Av, Portland. Follow us on Twitter @digaponypdx.
New Bar, Old Treasures
In the 1920s and 1930s this space, soon to be our new bar Dig A Pony, was a pharmacy. The previous tenant proved to be a bit of a hoarder, so when we arrived the huge basement was full of what first appeared to be junk. It was literally 90 years worth of accumulated detritus.
But, as we dug through it we started to come across lots of amazing little finds and reminders of what this place used to be.
We’d like to incorporate as much of the heritage of this location into the design of the bar. A lot of the hard work so far has involved stripping away the layers to reveal the true character of this amazing building. Beneath the ceiling were these incredible 90 year old Douglas Fir beams, and taking up layers of carpet led us to discover this amazing original tiled floor beneath.
Developing this space has been a journey back in time, and we hope it will result in a reassuring blend of old and new for our customer when we open.
Dig A Pony is a new bar at 736 SE Grand, Portland. Follow our progress on our blog at digaponypdx@tumblr.com.
Dig a Pony – The Bar Has Been Raised
We are now approximately 6 weeks off our scheduled opening here at Portland bar, Dig a Pony. For the casual passer by at 736 SE Grand it may look like just a collection of dull grey boards, but behind the boarding some exciting work is afoot.
Building a bar is an intense and energy-consuming process, but slowly but surely the bar is beginning to take shape. Many heads make light work, as our master builder Nick Musso demonstrates…
Many Heads Make Light Work
It’s amazing how quickly a blank space can turn into something very tangible. The following shots should give an idea of how things have developed over the past few weeks.
A Blank Slate
The Bar Begins To Take Shape
Getting There
Ready For Business
More photos and updates to follow soon. To keep track of our progress and news and be one of the first to step foot in our bar when it opens please visit digaponypdx.tumblr.com.
We are Dig a Pony
Dig a Pony is an impressive barroom and culinary alcove, located in the heart of southeast Portland. The space is open and warm, inviting socially-lubricated citizens to engage in casual conversation, measured indulgence and aggressive leisure. A place where friendships, schemes, and alliances take form, it is at once a forward-thinking clubhouse, a rendezvous point, a sanctuary and an event center, designed to host both public and private gatherings in all forms and varieties. It is a place where Portlanders can create, engage, unwind, and most importantly enhance their own creativity and sense of commonality.
Dig a Pony’s offerings are inspired by an unabashed enthusiasm for local and regional taps, prodigious liquor, exceptional wine, and simple seasonal comfort food, but without any of the pretension or prices often associated with such fare. If customers aren’t comfortable with our surroundings, samplings, or service, we’re not doing our job. There should simply be no reason to leave.
The minds behind Dig a Pony see it as reflective of the ever-changing mosaic of Portland cultural life. Our philosophy is one of open arms, welcoming all positive producers and paying homage to the city’s rich, rain-soaked history. Its timeless aesthetic respects and caters to the community’s immense D.I.Y. culture: whether youthful creatives, savvy business types, bike geeks, tech enthusiasts, individualists, wanderers, or anything in between, all are treated to top-shelf service.
We’re dedicated to supporting and enhancing Portland by lending stability and visibility to our budding neighborhood, by creating jobs, by acting as a community business anchor and by using primarily local products and services. The space’s build-out utilizes locally sourced, re-purposed materials whenever possible.
A photo taken in February 1929 of the building as Potter's Drug Co. 736 SE Grand Ave
A Sentimental Journey
For the Killorin family, taking a tour of their former home was a slightly surreal experience. The fifteen family members that walked through our Alameda Tudor had 43 years of family history rooted in the home, 43 years of holidays, birthdays, rainy winters, perfect summers and daily rituals.
When Paul Killorin sold us their home, he experienced tinges of sadness, like he was leaving a dear friend. Yet he felt confident in the remodeling skills of McCulloch Construction and knew that we would take care of his home and his memories.
And so we have. When John led the Killorin family into their old home they immediately felt the improvements. Natural light filled the entryway, creating a sense of spaciousness. McCulloch Construction remodeled the hallway and kitchen to create a sight-line from the front door to the back door, allowing light from the kitchen to seep into the entryway and mingle with light from the banks of windows in the living and dining room.
The new bonus room with superb views of downtown Portland glitters with possibilities. The newly tiled bathrooms sparkle with class, and the basement went from concrete mediocrity to comfortable rec room with the installation of carpet and new French doors that open up to the backyard.
Paul Killorin was so overwhelmed with joy that he wrote us an effusive note:
“My daughters, their families and I all thoroughly enjoyed your guided tour of ‘our’ home.
We lived here and experienced all the family joys of 43 years. Your generous tour allowed us to experience an event, a momentary sentimental journey through this artistically redesigned, structurally changed and restyled home.
Now the new owner not only will live in it but also love it. Thank you John for giving the Killorin family the thrill and joy of walking through the imagination, artistry and craftsmanship of a McCulloch Construction-remodeled home.
Best wishes to you and another Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Cordially,
Paul Killorin & Family”
Visit this link for McCulloch Construction testimonials or find us on facebook: http://www.mccullochconstruction.com/testimonials.html
Tile Back In, Finally (circa week 8)
The tile is back in, finally
I absolutely love how clean this looks
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