Scoop: Benghazi! Benghazi! Benghazi! Benghazi!

Johnny Zulke, manager of Casa Diablo
  1. EL MUNDO DIABLO: Johnny “Diablo” Zukle looks to be building a naked vegan empire in Portland. Not only is he planning to finally open the controversial second location of vegan strip club Casa Diablo this summer on Southeast McLoughlin Boulevard—the venture was the target of neighborhood protests in 2011 and 2012—but he’s also filed liquor-license applications for two more vegan strip clubs, Sinners Club at 3532 SE Powell Blvd., in the former Glimmers location, and a to-be-named club at the former Crown Room space in Old Town. Zukle doesn’t want to leave out the kids, however. At the old location of the Hutch on Holgate at 4515 SE 41st Ave., he plans to open an “all-ages, family-friendly vegan restaurant, lounge and production facility featuring delicious vegan dining, drinks & desserts.” >> In related news, the owners of Roscoe’s beer bar have filed for a liquor license to take back their old bar Agenda at 2366 SE 82nd Ave. The bar had briefly been turned into a strip club, Assets, by Dustin Berkholtz, who also owned the Glimmers strip club now being taken over by Zukle. Roscoe’s owners Jeremy Lewis and Quyen Ly will again name the bar Agenda, but according to the application it looks like the strippers will stay.
  1. SCENE SURVIVOR: A new sign has gone up at the site of Dean’s Scene, the long-running Northeast Fremont Street speakeasy and home brewery run by Dean Pottle. The speakeasy was shut down in February after a visit by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. The new sign at Dean’s says that while only friends are allowed into Pottle’s home-basement bar, he’ll be opening to the public “soon.” Reached for comment, Pottle says he’s shopping around for a new location for a public Dean’s Scene but hasn’t found the right spot yet.
  1. EX-WIVES: The 34-year-old inner-eastside institution Old Wives’ Tales closed May 4. Since opening in 1980, the multi-ethnic restaurant at 1300 E Burnside St. became known for its support of progressive causes, its early accommodation of dietary restrictions, its children’s play area, and its Hungarian mushroom soup. Via Facebook, owner Holly Hart says she will retire and put out a cookbook.
  1. DING DING: Jackpot Records has announced it will close its downtown location June 30. According to a statement from owner Isaac Slusarenko, the decision to shutter the long-standing Portland record store, which opened in 1997, is less about economics than it is “a move that will help us focus more energy and resources on other pursuits,” including the store’s in-house record label. Jackpot’s Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard location will remain open.

WWeek 2015

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