Oregon Public Broadcasting

Goose Hollow Inn is celebrating its 40th birthday Friday. Former Portland mayor Bud Clark first opened the beloved tavern in 1967. Four decades later, the bar is still thriving and run by the Clark family. Krista Stryker caught up with Bud Clark at "The Goose" as it's affectionately known, to talk to him about it.

The tavern is as packed as ever these days, and long-time customers greet the former mayor with enthusiasm when they walk in the door.

Unknown Customer: "Hey Bud, how're you doing?"

Bud Clark: "Good. I'm just cruising along."

Bud Clark makes a point to stop by The Goose every so often for conversation and a pint of beer. The bar has 12 beers on tap now, but back before he was mayor it only had 3. Even so, Clark says that didn't hurt business at all.

Bud Clark: "We sold more beer per square foot, Budweiser told us that, more beer per square foot than any tavern in the United States. That was way back in the 60s, in the 60s and most of the 70s. All through the 70s, actually. We kept that up because we'd just be packed every night, every day."

He says that adding a deck changed the square footage, so he doesn't get calls from Budweiser anymore. But he insists they still sell a lot of beer.

After 40 years in the business, the former mayor says a lot has changed. He says in the early 70s it was illegal to sing or dance in taverns. But one of his customers, Steve Kafoury, changed that.  

Bud Clark: "He wanted to dance and sing. And I said, 'No, no you can't do that, it's against the law.' That's when I tended the bar. And I said it's against the state law, you have to have a cocktail license to do that, a different kind of license than we have. Well he went down, because he was in the legislature, he went down and changed the law and made it legal to this day to sing and dance in a tavern if you feel like it or if the management allows you to do that."

Bud Clark says it's been a great 40 years and that he hopes The Goose will be flying high for years to come.

Goose Hollow Inn's 40th birthday bash starts Friday afternoon at 4, with live music, door prizes, and of course, mingling with Bud Clark.