ChristopherSpence.com
A ChristopherSpence.com
storia is poised to celebrate its bicentennial in 2011 and the Wet Dog Café has spent the last year preparing for the big party. Owners Steve and Karen Allen wanted to update their restaurant and decided to create two three-dimensional motifs adding interesting attractions while paying homage to Astoria as the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.
Ready to Party
like it’s 1811! The Wet Dog Cafe photos by Christopher Spence
The motif in the newly renovated lounge is a saloon complete with ‘Sheriff’ and his trusty dog who are keeping an eye on things from a balcony perch above the bar. “We focused on the 1800s for the Saloon,” explained Karen. The theme continues with old-time swinging doors leading into the ‘Poker’ room where customers can play video lottery games. Light and fan fixtures add atmosphere, as do lushly finished wood floors. The most prominent feature of the Saloon is a large historic sign from the Merwyn Hotel Astoria hanging at eye level in the lounge. The sign has quickly become a favorite. “We see people posing for pictures in front of that sign often,” said Karen. A new stone fireplace flanked by black leather chairs adds a cozy seating area by the window. Adjacent to the lounge is the brewery where a viewing station lets customers watch the brewing operation of Wet Dog’s handcrafted beers. The restaurant side features a general store facade set in the 1920s, with a shopper and vegetable stand whose old-style wooden sign promoting today’s Astoria Sunday Market was made by a modern-day Market vendor, Jim LeBrun. There is even a nod to the historic Liberty Theater, with one corner mimicking the distinctive curves of the theater‘s entry. CM
Wet Dog Cafe and Astoria Brewing Company 144 11th Street, Astoria, OR 503.325.6975 WetDogCafe.com
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