Letter to the Editor of Rediviva,   March 2, 2010
From Bob Carnahan, Owner of The River City Saloon

On May 1, coming right up I have chosen to retire from the operation of the Rivercity Saloon nine years after it’s restoration and reopening in 2001.  We’ve had amazing and myriad experiences during this snapshot in time, not the least of which was 9/11 just 3 months after reopening.  This was followed by the fall from grace of the Dot Comm boom, a serious economic decline, and the opening of three new live music venues in the Gorge competing for a declining market base.  All three and other followers  are long gone from the scene and to be replaced by a booming wine industry and an expansion of  local  breweries.  Hood River marches on and the future is assured by the charm of this historic city and surrounding amenities.  

The River City Saloon located in the Historic Waucoma Hotel opened in 1904 at the gateway to Hood River was the first in the city to be listed on the National Historic Register and has been my personal passion for ten full years.  Perhaps most memorable was the first year of raising a phoenix from the ashes by restoring and saving the building from almost certain demolition.  Now home to the Naked Winery in the former lobby of the 1904 Hotel and the Rivercity Saloon in the former hotel dining and ballroom, both venues pack locals and visitors in for wine tasting experiences, live music, and dancing.

On our 8th Anniversary last year I celebrated my 26th birthday for the third time and decided to continue operating the Rivercity Saloon for one more year and that comes due May 1.    It’s time for new blood and  for an ambitious aggressive entrepreneur to step in and take it over.  If you haven’t visited us then by all means come and take a look,  we have 4000 SF of finished space, including a beautiful 30 long mahoghany bar, a completely modern sound stage and engineering booth fully equipped, 100 year old oak dance floor, a high efficiency kitchen w/walkin cooler, digital projection capabilities, and many other features. Newcomers are alway immediately impressed and touring bands from all corners of the country look forward to returning.

My hope is to find the right visionary entrepreneur  to carry the Rivercity  to it’s next level who will capitalize on our reputation and a remarkable growth opportunity which is to lease the space lock stock and barrel for 2 years or more. The name can remain the same, it goes with the package and a small but experienced handful of folks will be eager to join you.  If you are interested email me at bobbyd31@gmail.com,  we can meet almost any time to discuss terms and details.    

 Bob Carnahan