Cover Story Steve Pharo has something just outside his Milwaukie office door that Joe Gilliam wants—$70 million worth of vodka, whiskey, tequila and every other distilled spirit sold in Oregon. PHARO - IM   More

Food & Drink Southeast Division's Artemis Cafe—in my opinion, one of Portland's best-kept lunchtime secrets—closed this month (the catering arm of the business remains), and this week's round of OLCC license applications reveals 1235 SE Division St.'s new tenant: a sandwich shop called Double Dragon.According to the application:"This business will be focused primarily on food. It's simply a sandwich shop which ...   More

News The House Judiciary Committee yesterday killed a bill that would grant local police the authority to shut down troubled bars and nightclubs immediately after an incident and keep them closed for 72 hours. Rep. Tina Kotek (D-Portland) has been pushing this concept for a couple sessions. After a high-profile January killing at Club 915 gave fresh impetus to the concept, Kotek and co-sponsors re-introduced ...   More

News In the backwash of a Federal Drug Administration ruling this week that Four Loko and other caffeinated malt liquors constitute a "public health concern," Oregon Liquor Control Commission chairman Phil Lang met with the three largest distributors of the beverages in the state first thing Thursday morning. His request? Stop shipping any more of the candy-flavored canned drinks into Oregon. The ...   More

News The downtown Portland club where a bouncer was fatally shot in the early hours of New Year's Day just had its liquor license suspended by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. The OLCC said its suspension of the liquor license at Club 915 came at the request of the Portland Police Bureau "based on a history of serious and persistent problems at the business." "Nineteen serious incidents including ...   More

Food & Drink Bartenders and booze-hounds marched across the Pearl District on Friday to protest the Oregon Liquor Control Commission's (OLCC) treatment of "high-quality agave spirits" as part of Portland Cocktail Week. The somewhat tongue-in-cheek event, dubbed "March for Mezcal," was sponsored by Ilegal Mezcal, whose product has been denied entry to the state by the OLCC. Although other brands are available ...   More

News Tired of looking all over town for that special bottle of vintage Glenlivet? Does it just drive you crazy that you have to pick up the phone and actually talk to a liquor store clerk to see if the store carries your brand? Not to worry. The trusty OLCC has released a new website to combat just that sort of pesky problem. Launched yesterday, www.oregonliquorsearch.com, lets you find every type of ...   More

News The Oregon Liquor Control Commission has extended its "temporary" 50 cent surcharge on each bottle of distilled spirits. The surcharge was supposed to end June 30. But thanks to a unanimous commission vote this week, the surcharge will now be in effect until at least June 30, 2011. The reasons for extending the surcharge two more years? To generate an estimated $27 million over that time period ...   More

News The oldest strip club in Portland was singled out for a spanking at the Oregon Liquor Control Commission's monthly meeting June 18-19. Mary's Club, the venerable strip club at 129 SW Broadway St., got busted for permitting employees to serve booze without a service permit. Mary's owner Vicki Keller was ordered to pay a $3,795 fine or take a 23-day liquor-license suspension. Other notables ...   More

News A popular Northwest Portland convenience store and a Northeast Portland Mediterranean restaurant are among the businesses busted by OLCC commissioners at their monthly meeting. Quick Stop Deli Market at 602 NW 21st Ave. had its liquor license suspended for 30 days, and Farzad Larki can no longer participate in managing the shop. The OLCC says Larki failed to divulge a prior felony conviction ...   More