Iconic Portland Punk Club the Know Has Closed Down—Again

The Know is no more.

For the second time in less than two years, the Portland punk club, which moved from Northeast Alberta Street to Sandy Boulevard last year, has closed. The building, however, is not staying empty.

According to a liquor license application filed with the OLCC in late April, the bar has a new owner, and a new name: Solid State.

New owner Christopher Rhodes declined to provide more details, but confirmed that previous owner Ryan Stowe would not be involved.

After getting priced out of the Alberta neighborhood, its home for over a decade, in 2016, the Know moved to 3728 NE Sandy Blvd., into the building that previously housed supper club Tony Starlight's and early 2000s music venue Blackbird. In March, a dispute between Stowe and former employees led to a social media backlash against the venue, which had previously been one of Portland's most beloved hubs for underground music.

In a text message to WW, Stowe says the change in ownership had been in discussion long before the labor spat.

"I'm excited to move on from 14 years of being a bar owner and watch how awesome of a place Chris is putting together," he wrote.

Neither Stowe nor Rhodes would comment on the direction of the club, or when it would reopen.

Portland music scene veterans might recognize Solid State as one of several names attached to the former rock club at Southeast 9th Avenue and Pine Street,  best remembered as La Luna. Rhodes, however, says there is no connection between the two.

See Related: Punk Dive The Know is Like a Glorious Middle Finger to New Portland.