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Pied Cow Coffeehouse

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Coordinates:45°30′59″N122°37′53″W/ 45.51636°N 122.63138°W/45.51636; -122.63138
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Pied Cow Coffeehouse
Black-and-white logo with a cow playing a saxophone and the text "The Pied Cow" above and "Coffee House" below
Photograph of a Victorian house with signs in the front garden as well as displayed in windows
The restaurant's exterior in 2012
Map
Restaurantinformation
ClosedSeptember 2023(2023-09)
Owner(s)Jimmy Chen
Street address3244 SE Belmont Street
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97214
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°30′59″N122°37′53″W/ 45.51636°N 122.63138°W/45.51636; -122.63138

ThePied Cow Coffeehouse,or simply thePied Cow,was acoffeehouseandhookah loungeinPortland, Oregon'sSunnysideneighborhood, in the United States. The restaurant had an "eclectic" interior decor and, in addition to coffee drinks andhookah,servedfondue,desserts,mezzeplatters, and wine. It was known for being reportedly haunted by a woman named Lydia and had received generally positive reviews.

The Pied Cow appeared inRobyn Miller's 2013 filmThe Immortal Augustus Gladstone,which also featured acameo appearanceby restaurant owner Jimmy Chen, and on theartworkforKyle Craft's 2018 albumFull Circle Nightmare.The restaurant closed in 2023, and theVictorian housewas listed for sale.

Description

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The Pied Cow was acoffeehouseandhookah loungealong Belmont Street, housed in a reportedly hauntedVictorian houseinsoutheast Portland'sSunnysideneighborhood.[1]The menu included coffee-based drinks, cheesefondue,mezzeplatters,hummus,desserts,beer,[2]wine, tea,[3]andhookah.[1]Menus displayed quotes byFriedrich Nietzsche.[4]The interior was "eclectically decorated"[1]and had a "clutteredaltardedicated to everyone fromNick CavetoBuddha".[4]Dylan Jefferies and Delaney White of theDaily Vanguardcalled the Pied Cow "whimsical", writing that "numerousVictorian paintingsand eclectic items adorn the walls, and a staircase is built up like a kind of altar, with various flowers, silks and dolls ornamenting every step ".[5]

According toThrillist,the restaurant'spatiowas covered during winter months and thelawnwas used during the summer months. The exterior had tall hedges and trees, as well as benches, plastic chairs, and "mismatched" lawn furniture.[6]The large white tent used for outdoor dining was illuminated by heat lamps andChristmas lights.[4]In 2014, a writer forThe Columbiansaid the Pied Cow had a "variedclientele".[3]In 2012,Willamette Week'sJohn Locanthi said the establishment did not serve peopleunder the age of 21.[2]In contrast, in 2019 the paper said, "Anyone who grew up in Portland, especially in Southeast, knows the Pied Cow as a place to go to before turning 21."[1]

History

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Photograph of the top of a staircase and doors into a Victorian house
Entrance to the Victorian house, 2022

Before the Pied Cow, the house was occupied by a "lively" restaurant called Buttertoes.[5]The restaurant was opened by three sisters in 1979 and continued operating into the early 1990s. The walls hadmuralsof fairies andmermaids.[7]In 1996, Jennifer "Jenny" Joyce paintedKeep on the Sunnyside,a ten-panel mural celebrating the "history and character" of the neighborhood, along SE 30th Avenue atBelmont.One of the panels depicts the house and theThaddeus Fisher House.Faded over time by multiple cleanings and neglect, the mural was repainted by the Portland Street Art Alliance, which supports muralists and otherstreet artists,with Joyce's permission in 2018.[8]

Robyn Miller's 2013mockumentaryfilmThe Immortal Augustus Gladstoneabout a "150-year-oldepilepticvampirewithgaytendencies "was set in Portland and filmed in part at the Pied Cow. The restaurant's owner, Jimmy Chen, made acameo appearance.Described as "strangely poetic" byThe Washington Post,the film won Best Picture at the Oregon Independent Film Festival.[9]The photograph used asartworkforKyle Craft's 2018 albumFull Circle Nightmarewas taken at the Pied Cow. Additionally, the restaurant served as a set for themusic videoto Craft's song "Heartbreak Junky".[10]

In September 2023, the business announced plans to close.[11]The house was listed for $1.5 million,[12]and interior decorations were put up for sale.[13]Chen attributed the closure to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[14]The restaurant Fox Trot is slated to open in the space.[15]

Reported haunting

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Photograph of a dimly lit collection of dolls and other items
Interior altar, 2013

The building, which has housed Buttertoes and the Pied Cow, is reportedly haunted by a "kind and gentle" woman named Lydia,[5]who "made items fall off shelves in the kitchen on a regular basis".[7]In 2017,The Oregonian'sGrant Butler said the house "looks like the perfect setting for a ghost story" and wrote, "What gained [Buttertoes] notoriety was its reputation for being haunted by a ghost named Aunt Lydia."[7]Jefferies and White described the apparition in more detail:

The Ghost of Aunt Lydia, as she is known, is reportedly a friendly and gracious ghost. She is known to be seen with her hair pinned up, wearing black boots and a high-collared dress... Aunt Lydia would often rearrange table settings and move things in the kitchen.[5]

The owners of Buttertoes hired apsychicwho determined there was "a spirit was present in the home". A waitress reportedly resigned from the restaurant "after feeling so uncomfortable while closing by herself", according to Jefferies and White.[5]In 2009, a server who had worked for Pied Cow for three years described a sink where she had felt "creeped out", saying, "I've semi-frequently had the feeling of seeing someone come down the stairs and go into the office."[16]In 2013, employee Zachary Schauer recalled seeing Lydia after a long shift and said, "I just didn't give a shit and went upstairs. Several different people have seen her, and nothing really crazy has happened. It's a pretty typical young Catholic girl in a white dress kind of deal."[17]

In a 2009 overview ofPortland's reportedly haunted sites,Chen "declined to comment on the restaurant's alleged haunting. But in the kitchen, the wait staff buzzes with talk of the creepy basement."[16]Jefferies and White said the Pied Cow "certainly plays up the haunted vibe" and wrote in 2019, "Many believe that the Ghost of Aunt Lydia still haunts the quirky Victorian house, and patrons of the Pied Cow still keep an eye out for her while sipping mint tea and smoking ornate hookahs."[5]

Reception

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Photograph of an orange sign showing a man holding a plate with food, along with the text "Wine & Beer", "Sweets & Eats", and "Hookahs"
Exterior sign, 2013

In 2009, thePortland Mercurydescribed the Pied Cow as a "pie shop/hookah bar/dispensaryof all-around-delicious eats ".[16]Portland Monthlyhas said, "If you're looking for an unusual coffee house experience, this place is it. Walking into the Pied Cow is like stepping into your great-grandmother's parlor, complete with 19th century furniture and an array of wall art. Adding to the quirk, there's hookah on the patio and solid marionberry pie."[18]In his 2012 book,Peaceful Places Portland,Paul Gerald wrote:

The lingering image after having a cup or plate at the Pied Cow could, depending on the season, be of anopium den,aCasbah,or a picnic on some hippie's farm. Inside, the room seems always dark, as if to be a retreat from light itself. Servers come and go from a tiny kitchen, and the looming space of the big old Victorian house adds a sense of mystery; not only does it feel somehow hidden from Belmont Street, but one is also left to wonder what's upstairs... At the Pied Cow it always seems like nighttime, but it's far from gloomy.[19]

Photograph of a building's interior with tables and chairs set up for dining
Interior seating, 2013

In his 2012 guide to local hookah establishments, John Locanthi ofWillamette Weeksaid the Pied Cow was dog-friendly and had "a more limited selection of flavors, mostly offering single fruit flavors". Furthermore, he opined, "The tranquilcourtyardis the perfect spot to take adate.Mellow music, elegant wooden benches and delicious snacks are the perfect accompaniments to a warm summer evening. "[2]Jennifer Gilroy recommended the Pied Cow for hookah in her 2015 overview ofsmokingoptions in Portland.[20]In her article on the "best secret nooks andhidey-holesin Portland cafes ", the newspaper's Shannon Gormley called the restaurant" a goth's approximation of anOld Worldcafe "and wrote in 2017," Since the Pied Cow doubles as a late-night hookah bar, it's rarely crowded during regular coffee-shop hours, which makes the tiny tables pushed up against large windows perfect loner havens... [T]he tent houses a few tables, but during off hours, you're most likely to have it all to yourself. "[4]In 2018, Lauren Yoshiko recommend thepecan pie"on the back patio (hookah optional), where there is often a very friendly neighborhood cat awaiting your attention".[21]

A writer forThe Columbianfound the wait staff friendly and opined in 2014, "On a warm summer evening, the ample outdoor seating of Pied Cow under light-strung trees is just chill."[3]Thrillist called the Pied Cow "a Portland classic" and said the exterior landscaping will make you "feel like you're dining in your own private garden".[6]Zagatgave the Pied Cow ratings of 4.6 for food, 4.5 for decor, and 4.0 for service, each on a scale of 5. The guide said, "Beautiful meetsbohemianat this Sunnyside coffeehouseset in a grand Victorian,where regulars fall in love with the exquisite desserts and other sweet and savory nosh plates; the romantic patio doubles as a hookah garden, and while it can get crowded, it's still a date-worthy choice, especially on summer nights. "[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcd"Sober Sips".Willamette Week.August 20, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on August 10, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  2. ^abcLocanthi, John (July 3, 2012)."Hookahs and Blow".Willamette Week.Archivedfrom the original on April 8, 2018.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  3. ^abcViki (September 17, 2014)."From elegant to eclectic with an institutional night cap to top it off".The Columbian.Vancouver, Washington.Archivedfrom the original on November 26, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  4. ^abcdGormley, Shannon (November 8, 2017)."The Best Secret Nooks and Hidey-Holes in Portland Cafes".Willamette Week.Archivedfrom the original on November 9, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  5. ^abcdefJefferies, Dylan; White, Delaney (October 30, 2019)."Portland haunts".Daily Vanguard.Portland State University.Archivedfrom the original on November 13, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  6. ^ab"The Pied Cow".Thrillist.5 October 2017.Archivedfrom the original on November 26, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  7. ^abcButler, Grant (January 17, 2017)."More tasty memories: 84 closed Portland restaurants we wish were still around".The Oregonian.Portland, Oregon:Advance Publications.ISSN8750-1317.Archivedfrom the original on October 21, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  8. ^"Murals proliferate in Portland due to community advocacy, interest in street art".The Oregonian.April 2, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on November 9, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  9. ^Peifer, Kathryn (March 25, 2014)."Interview with a Vampire".Willamette Week.Archivedfrom the original on November 26, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  10. ^Prado, Ryan J. (January 26, 2018)."Kyle Craft Learned to Love His Dog".Vortex Music Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on September 26, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  11. ^Giegerich, Andy (September 12, 2023)."Five Things to know for Tuesday: Pied Cow is closing".Portland Business Journal.Archivedfrom the original on September 15, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 15,2023.
  12. ^Russell, Michael (2023-09-12)."This 'haunted' Portland coffee shop is closing; historic Victorian listed for $1.5 million".The Oregonian.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-09-14.Retrieved2023-09-15.
  13. ^Wong, Janey (2021-01-20)."Portland's Restaurant, Bar, and Food Cart Closures".Eater Portland.Retrieved2023-09-21.
  14. ^"Declining clientele seals the fates of Southeast Portland mainstays Pied Cow and JaCiva's".KGW.September 14, 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-09-15.Retrieved2023-09-15.
  15. ^Spencer, Malia (June 25, 2024)."Portland Business Journal".Portland Business Journal.
  16. ^abc"Ghostly Gourmands: Haunted Eats in the City of Roses".Portland Mercury.October 29, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on September 6, 2015.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  17. ^Korfhage, Matthew (July 2, 2013)."Capture or Asylum".Willamette Week.Archivedfrom the original on November 11, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  18. ^"Pied Cow Coffeehouse".Portland Monthly.Archivedfrom the original on April 28, 2017.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  19. ^Gerald, Paul (November 21, 2012).Peaceful Places Portland: 103 Tranquil Sites in the Rose City and Beyond.Menasha Ridge Press. p. 125.ISBN9780897329392.Archivedfrom the original on November 26, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  20. ^Gilroy, Jennifer (June 16, 2015)."Drinkin', Smokin' and Off-Leash Doggin'".Willamette Week.Archivedfrom the original on July 24, 2018.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  21. ^Yoshiko, Lauren (April 16, 2018)."Serra: 'The Anthropologie of pot.'".Willamette Week.Archivedfrom the original on April 19, 2018.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
  22. ^"Pied Cow Coffeehouse".Zagat.Archivedfrom the original on August 15, 2020.RetrievedNovember 25,2020.
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