04/23/2008 06:43:47 AM 
(1) 
(1) Starting out with brew pubs and moving onto hotels, wineries and a distillery. The brand remains true to its roots and exhibits a wonderful, infectious and quirky character that helps it to stand way apart from the boring franchise chains.
You find character in the names of its beers- Terminator and Hammerhead, in the design of its pubs and hotels and in its graphic design and in hotel rooms named after and dedicated to local musicians. Even its events pack the same quirky feel, from UFO festivals to acoustic sets from local musicians played in an eight-seat capacity bar.
Great stuff.
Mcmenamins is a testament to what nurturing and sticking to your personal vision can create for a brand. It also shows that you can build a little empire without going national with VC cash and do it all in your own locale.
Thankfully, the brand hasn't taken a bucket load of cash from an international brewer to expand the concept globally because it would kill its charm. McMenamins remains Oregonian and in that lies its appeal.
Last week, I was fortunate enough to stay in the brand's Hotel Oregon, deep in the heat of wine country. I took some local quality pictures on my iPhone, which can be seen below.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Posted by Ed Cotton
Share / Bookmark:
It appears you don't have Flash installed.
Rreat place. I've not heard of this beer / chain until last week and I live in the Bay Area. The idea of a pub over a drinking den has always made sense to me, I've found the sleazy dark unapproachable american bar a little strange after growing up in England. I'm all about the sustainability of the micro and home brewing movement. This place is now added to the road trip tour!