Before we opened our fourth brewpub, before we made our first dollar, before even brewing beer, we were friends.
Growing up less than a quarter mile away from each other in Portland, we went to the same schools and hung out quite a bit. After college, we both spent time doing the ‘ol office grind and felt the need to ditch the monkey-suits and computer screens. We asked ourselves, “Are we going to talk about this for the rest of our lives, or are we going to do it?”
Starting a brewpub is not easy. We spent about six months putting together a business plan and another six months luring a few risk taking individuals to invest with us. After many months of doors being shut in our faces, we finally stumbled upon an former roofing company on lower Hawthorne. This is the start of our Brew Pubs Portland Oregon.
We brought in family and friends who thought we were a little nuts. With the plumbers, electricians, and framers forming our space, we worked like dogs for five straight months to build our dream. After all of this work, and only $66 in our bank account, we opened the doors.
We first thought of the Lucky Dog Brewing Company, because we thought we would be lucky dogs if we pulled it off. We found that there was a dog food with the same name so we made the alteration, and alliteration, to Lucky Labrador. We thought the Lab of a great visual symbol of what we were trying to accomplish, a friendly neighborhood pub.
Today, we have four pubs where we serve hand-crafted, fresh beer. Some varieties we have made for decades, going back to when we homebrewed. Other beers have become standards because of our regulars’ demand. However, being a small brewery gives us the ability to invent, experiment, and continually brew new varieties, giving even our most constant customer something new to try. In addition to our fantastic beer is a pub food menu that is simple, satisfying, and will not break the bank. It’s great for us to see that people enjoy hanging out in the Lucky Lab Portland pubs.
We are not a restaurant, nor are we a tavern. The Lucky Labrador consists of pubs where people can come together, converse, and drink our great beer in an unpretentious atmosphere that is truly a Portland experience. Many people just don’t get us. If you are looking for a sit down restaurant with table service and quick turnover, we are not for you. We hope you come visit and enjoy what we have to offer.
Cheers,
Gary and Alex
