It looks like the Green Dragon sale went through yesterday. Here’s some info from a variety of sources:
Over at Brewpublic, Lolo declared war on the Rogue Nation. Lolo also shared with Angelo his perspective on how the sale went down. While there is a ton of “he said/she said” and rumors out there, it seems evident Ed, the former majority owner, kept Lolo in the dark on this potential sale for far too long. Lolo has every right to be pissed, dude helped build the bar and while he may not be the majority owner, he is still an owner and should’ve been given more time to line up new investors. And, any declaration of war that includes a quote from The Dude is awesome, so sign me up!
Ed reached out to Beervana to tell his side of the story. I understand Ed’s point of view here, he sunk a chunk of change into the Dragon and he’s facing another big expenditure if he wants to take the bar where everyone wants to go, or even remain open in the case of sprinklers. But I guess the question is, where was the due diligence when Ed bought the place? He wasn’t owner very long. I can only assume he looked at the books, researched pending fees and costs and talked to other bar and restaurant owners before laying down a significant amount of money to purchase his ownership stake. It seems like perhaps he jumped in without fully looking and is reaching for a lifeline.
Our Facebook group petitioning Rogue not to F up the Green Dragon is up to 117 members. Not bad for a little word of mouth and networking.
So the questions remain and perhaps it’s time for people in charge address some of them and end all the rumor and speculation:
1) What is the status of the staff at the Green Dragon? They’ve already had to re-interview for their jobs, will they be there or will there be new staff from the Rogue Pearl and other locations?
2) How does the sale affect the future of Integrity Spirits at that location? Integrity appears to be a significant competitor in craft distillation, so does Rogue now control the entire building and bounce Integrity out?
3) What is the future of brewing at the Green Dragon? And if brewing does start, is it just going to be the same ol’ Rogue beers or will the brewers have some independence to create their own ales?
4) What is the future of the rotating taps and what percentage of taps will now be Rogue beers? I’m assuming mug club is DOA.
And now an editorial comment: The people, beer geeks and general bar goers alike, are disappointed. Rogue is taking a lot of heat, but I believe it could’ve been any major brewer making the sale and people would feel the same way. This is Portland, we value and cherish our independent, locally-owned establishments and the Green Dragon has a loyal and passionate following. Great establishments have taken nosedives under new management (I’m looking at you Oaks Bottom), so when there is a change in ownership at a place people love, there’s going to be apprehension. I think what we’re waiting for is for some comment from Rogue telling us what they plan to do and help put the rumors to bed. Like any business, if this turns out to be a success or a failure, the people and their money will decide the outcome. We are lucky to live in a town with so many great taps at places such as Bailey’s, Concordia and Horse Brass. So if Rogue wants to make their investment pay off, I hope they listen to our voices and maintain the spirit of what makes the Green Dragon incredibly well liked.
The Green Dragon is Dead! Long Live the Green Dragon!