Starky's

Starky's, located at 2913 Southeast Stark Street, was a gay bar and restaurant in Portland's Kerns neighborhood.{{cite news|title=Starkys to Be Razed for 46 Units|url=http://www.portlandchronicle.com/starkys-to-be-razed-for-46-units/|access-date=June 14, 2016|work=The Portland Chronicle|date=September 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807131010/http://www.portlandchronicle.com/starkys-to-be-razed-for-46-units/|archive-date=August 7, 2016|url-status=live}} It was established in 1984 and housed in a building that was constructed in 1935.{{cite news|title=Hump Day Free Ride: Milagro's 'Guapa' and Brunch at Starky's|journal=PQ Monthly|publisher=Brilliant Media|date=March 13, 2013|url=http://www.pqmonthly.com/hump-day-free-ride-milagros-guapa-and-brunch-at-starkys/12959|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808050749/http://www.pqmonthly.com/hump-day-free-ride-milagros-guapa-and-brunch-at-starkys/12959|archive-date=August 8, 2016|url-status=usurped}}{{cite news|title=Starkys Has Been Demolished|url=http://www.portlandchronicle.com/starkys-has-been-demolished/|access-date=June 14, 2016|work=The Portland Chronicle|date=December 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807130505/http://www.portlandchronicle.com/starkys-has-been-demolished/|archive-date=August 7, 2016|url-status=live}} Starky's was known for its patio and outdoor seating, in addition to serving American cuisine, including burgers and steak.{{Cite news|url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/locations/306627/starkys|title=Starky's|access-date=June 16, 2016|work=The Portland Mercury|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811162148/http://www.portlandmercury.com/locations/306627/starkys|archive-date=August 11, 2016|url-status=live}} Joe Waldroff and Greg Simshaw purchased the bar in September 2004.{{cite web|last=Bamman|first=Mattie John|title=Starky's Restaurant Closes on SE Stark After 28 Years|url=http://pdx.eater.com/2015/9/22/9371767/starky-restaurant-closing-stark|website=Eater|access-date=June 14, 2016|date=September 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625033050/http://pdx.eater.com/2015/9/22/9371767/starky-restaurant-closing-stark|archive-date=June 25, 2016|url-status=live}}

In 2015, Willamette Week described the establishment as a "patioed mountain chalet with homestyle food that seems as domestic as Grandpa's house, with busy Thursday karaoke, 'bottomless' mimosas at its essential Sunday brunch, and a charmingly dirty-avuncular bartender who seems to have an answer for everything".{{cite news|title=Near and Queer: Our favorite gay bars in Portland.|url=http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-24851-near-and-queer.html|access-date=June 13, 2016|work=Willamette Week|date=June 9, 2015|first1=James|last1=Helmsworth|first2=Matthew|last2=Korfhage|first3=Amy|last3=Wolfe|publisher=City of Roses Newspapers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821103809/http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-24851-near-and-queer.html|archive-date=August 21, 2016|url-status=live}} Following its closure, the newspaper's Matthew Korfage called Starky's a "little mountain chalet" and "friendly little neighborhood bar catering to longtime regulars in the gay community with raucous karaoke, home-style food and a Sunday brunch that offered up bottomless cheap-bubbly mimosas unless you misbehaved".{{cite news|last=Korfage|first=Matthew|title=28-Year Institution Starky's Closed to Become Apartments|url=http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-33792-28-year-institution-starkys-closed-to-become-apartments.html|access-date=June 14, 2016|work=Willamette Week|date=September 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821124607/http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-33792-28-year-institution-starkys-closed-to-become-apartments.html|archive-date=August 21, 2016|url-status=live}}

Beginning in late 2014, Waldroff and Simshaw listed the building and business for sale intermittently, and sold Starky's for $1.2 million in March 2015. The duo planned to retire and expressed a willingness to sell the rights to the name and business. The bar and restaurant closed on September 13, 2015, after operating for 28 years. The building that housed Starky's was demolished during November–December 2015, and was replaced by a three-story apartment building.

Starky's was a longtime fixture in Portland's gay community. It served as a gathering space for groups such as Blackout Leather Productions,{{cite web|title=Minutes from the May 16th, 2010 Board Meeting|url=http://blackoutleather.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/June-2010.pdf|publisher=Blackout Leather Productions|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808035806/http://blackoutleather.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/June-2010.pdf|archive-date=August 8, 2016|url-status=live}} a nonprofit organization and volunteer group of leather enthusiasts in Oregon and southwest Washington,{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://blackoutleather.org/?page_id=41|publisher=Blackout Leather Productions|access-date=June 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712095155/http://blackoutleather.org/?page_id=41|archive-date=July 12, 2016|url-status=live}} and the Oregon Bears.{{cite web|url=https://www.oregonbears.org/PDFs/pawprints/2007%20-%20Paw%20Prints%20May-June.pdf|publisher=Oregon Bears|access-date=June 14, 2016|format=PDF|date=May–June 2007|page=8|work=Paw Prints|volume=3|number=9|title=May 2007 Calendar of Events|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809041847/https://www.oregonbears.org/PDFs/pawprints/2007%20-%20Paw%20Prints%20May-June.pdf|archive-date=August 9, 2016|url-status=dead}} Historically, Starky's sold tickets to Portland Gay Men's Chorus performancesPortland Gay Men's Chorus (September 1985):

• {{Cite news|title=Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Strings|date=September 6, 1985|page=141}}
• {{Cite news|title=Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Strings|date=September 27, 1985|page=53}}A Holiday Sampler: The Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Alyce Rogers:
• {{Cite news|title=A Holiday Sampler: The Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Alyce Rogers|date=December 1, 1985|page=139}}
• {{Cite news|title=A Holiday Sampler: The Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Alyce Rogers|date=December 6, 1985|page=142}}
• {{Cite news|title=A Holiday Sampler: The Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Alyce Rogers|date=December 13, 1985|page=103}}
• {{Cite news|title=A Holiday Sampler: The Portland Gay Men's Chorus with Alyce Rogers|date=December 15, 1985|page=46}}The San Francisco and Portland Gay Men's Choruses (July 1, 1986):
• {{Cite news|title=The San Francisco and Portland Gay Men's Choruses in the Artlene Schnitzer Concert Hall|work=The Oregonian|date=June 13, 1986|page=112}}
• {{Cite news|title=The San Francisco and Portland Gay Men's Choruses in the Artlene Schnitzer Concert Hall|work=The Oregonian|date=June 27, 1986|page=74}} and hosted (or was a starting location for) gay pride events.{{Cite news|title=Events note start of lesbian and gay liberation movement|date=June 19, 1987|page=38}} The venue also hosted special events such as: a 2009 celebration and fundraiser to send eight musicians from the Rose City Gay Freedom Band to perform at Barack Obama's inauguration,{{cite news|last=Hector|first=Alley|title=One time at band camp...they sent some LBGT Portlanders to Obama's inauguration!|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/events/index.ssf/2009/01/one_time_at_band_campthey_send.html|access-date=June 14, 2016|work=The Oregonian|publisher=Advance Publications|date=January 9, 2009|issn=8750-1317|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117003217/http://www.oregonlive.com/events/index.ssf/2009/01/one_time_at_band_campthey_send.html|archive-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=live}} a 2013 PQ Monthly press party, Oregon Bears' 2013 car wash fundraiser for Our House and other nonprofits,{{Cite web|url=http://www.pdxqcenter.org/gay-portland-in-pictures-suds-and-studs/|title=Gay Portland in Pictures – Suds and Studs|date=July 30, 2013|first=Marty|last=Davis|publisher=Q Center|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012070349/http://www.pdxqcenter.org/gay-portland-in-pictures-suds-and-studs/|archive-date=October 12, 2016|url-status=live}} the Red Dress Party, and "Civic Pride", which was presented by City Club of Portland in June 2014 to commemorate gay pride and LGBT Pride Month. The latter event featured guests from local organizations including: Basic Rights Oregon, Cascade AIDS Project, Equity Foundation, GLSEN Oregon, Oregon Gay and Lesbian Law Association, Oregon Safe Schools and Communities Coalition, PFLAG Portland and the PFLAG Black Chapter, Portland Latino Gay Pride, and Rosetown Ramblers.{{cite web|last=Beck|first=Byron|title=Civic Pride: PDX's City Club Civic Drinks at Starky's|url=http://www.byronbeck.com/home/1692-civic-pride-pdxs-city-club-civic-drinks-at-starkys.html|website=ByronBeck.com|author-link=Byron Beck (blogger)|access-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624062658/http://www.byronbeck.com/home/1692-civic-pride-pdxs-city-club-civic-drinks-at-starkys.html|archive-date=June 24, 2016|url-status=live}}

Starky's received a generally positive reception and was most known for its Bloody Marys, brunch, and outdoor seating. In 2013, Jaime Dunkle of the Daily Vanguard, Portland State University's student newspaper, included Starky's as one of the top five gay bars and clubs in the city, writing: {{Quote|For maxing and relaxing: Starky's is the best outdoor gay bar. Word on the street is that they make a killer Bloody Mary and have a yummy brunch menu. They're old school and have been in Portland since 1984. Check it out if you want to get away from the throbbing, meat-market discos.{{cite news|last=Dunkle|first=Jaime|title=Where to go when you come out|url=http://psuvanguard.com/where-to-go-when-you-come-out/|access-date=June 14, 2016|work=Daily Vanguard|publisher=Portland State University|date=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805001650/http://psuvanguard.com/where-to-go-when-you-come-out/|archive-date=August 5, 2016|url-status=live}}}}

In 2014, GoLocalPDX contributor Byron Beck included Starky's in his list of Portland's top twelve gay clubs, writing: "Starky's is for those who remember that brunch is best served on Sunday with a Bloody Mary. This true original is more restaurant than bar but that doesn't stop people from coming here for some of the stiffest drinks in town."{{cite web|last1=Beck|first1=Byron|title=The Top 12 Gay Clubs in Portland|url=http://www.golocalpdx.com/lifestyle/dirty-dozen-the-top-12-gay-clubs-in-portland|website=GoLocalPDX|access-date=June 14, 2016|date=October 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402143911/http://www.golocalpdx.com/lifestyle/dirty-dozen-the-top-12-gay-clubs-in-portland|archive-date=April 2, 2016|url-status=live}} In 2015, Willamette Week contributors included Starky's in their list of favorite Portland gay bars.

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• {{Commons category-inline|Starky's}}

{{Defunct restaurants in Portland, Oregon}}

{{Kerns, Portland, Oregon}}

{{LGBTQ culture in Portland, Oregon}}

{{Portal bar|Drink|Food|LGBTQ|Oregon}}

{{Good article}}

Category:1984 establishments in Oregon

Category:2015 disestablishments in Oregon

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1935

Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2015

Category:Defunct LGBTQ drinking establishments in Portland, Oregon

Category:Defunct restaurants in Kerns, Portland, Oregon

Category:Defunct restaurants in Southeast Portland, Oregon

Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Portland, Oregon

Category:Restaurants disestablished in 2015

Category:Restaurants established in 1984