Southeast Portland Soccer Bar 4-4-2 Will Reopen with a New Owner and a New Name

It'll remain a gathering spot for Timbers games, but the new owner also wants to make it more of a "neighborhood bar."

4-4-2 Pub. IMAGE: WW archives.
By Matthew Singer

One of Portland's hardcore soccer bars is undergoing a change.

Earlier this summer, 4-4-2 on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard closed suddenly, leaving regulars without a spot to gather for Timbers and Champions League games—well, other than Toffee Club a few blocks up the road.

It didn't shutter for good, though. The bar is set to reopen next month, with a new owner and a new name.

Peter Mahr, a physician and amateur soccer player who competed locally with International Portland Select FC and overseas in the Czech Republic, bought the pub in June, fulfilling a longtime dream.

"I always told my wife I was gonna buy the bar from the owner when I retired," Mahr tells WW. "I told other friends, like it was a joke, then my friend texted in June and said, 'It's up for sale.'"

While he declined to reveal many details, Mahr says he'll be changing the name to Gol and updating the food menu, with the intent of attracting a broader clientele.

"I want to keep it as a soccer bar," he says, "but I want to make it more of a neighborhood bar, where people come to drink and talk."

Mahr says he's aiming to open in mid-September.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.