The Landmark Saloon, a beloved honky-tonk on Southeast Division known for cheap drinks, live music and a sprawling patio, went dark in mid-February after more than a decade on the block. Now two longtime regulars say they are stepping in to take over the lease, repair the space and relaunch the bar under a new name: Switchback Saloon.
According to OregonLive, regulars Scott Phillips and Graham Talley announced the takeover in a letter on the new Switchback site and asked the neighborhood to pitch in for renovations, licensing and the lease. The outlet reports the pair wrote that "a place like this survives because people decide it matters" as they lay out the work ahead. The relaunch effort, they say, will aim to preserve the Saloon's music nights while upgrading the patio and bathrooms.
Closure And A Last-Gasp Lifeline
Owner Nick Wilson told the Portland Mercury that the landlord's patience had run out and that the bar would host a farewell show on Friday, Feb. 13. A GoFundMe launched in March 2025 pulled in roughly $10,000 in a bid to keep the Saloon afloat, but the effort ultimately fell short, the Mercury reported.
New Regulars-Turned-Owners Draw Up A Game Plan
Phillips told What Now Portland that he and Talley were not exactly shopping for a bar but could not stand to watch their neighborhood spot disappear. The site reports the duo expect to reopen in late April or early May and to "keep the spirit" of the Landmark, describing the future incarnation as "still very neighborhood hangout, dive bar… but a pretty dive bar." First on the to-do list: fixing floors, refurbishing bathrooms and wrapping up permit work.
Barbecue, Beer And The Big Patio Bet
The Switchback team plans to anchor the patio with Leroy’s Familiar Vittles, a Southern barbecue cart whose operator is fundraising to return, according to a GoFundMe. At the time the fundraiser was posted, it had raised about $2,700 toward a $15,000 goal to cover equipment, permits and start-up costs.
One Bar’s Fate In A Tough Portland Nightlife Moment
The Landmark's closure and the Switchback rescue attempt arrive amid a broader wave of early-year shutdowns across Portland's dining and nightlife scene. Portland Monthly documented several high-profile closures in February, underscoring how rent, staffing issues and rising costs are reshaping neighborhood watering holes and live-music venues across the city.
