McMenamins comes to Gearhart

Published 5:00 pm Monday, March 31, 2008

McMenamins, the hospitality company known in the Northwest for its imaginative makeovers of older buildings, has a new location in Gearhart.

The Sandtrap Restaurant, adjoining the Gearhart Golf Links, is now McMenamins Sandtrap.

Property Manager Mike Duggan said the company completely renovated the old Sandtrap, replacing sheet rock with atmospheric touches like recycled wood and locally-crafted stained glass. The pub and restaurant’s look is vintage McMenamins.

“It’s somewhat based on the European public house model,” he said. “We use reclaimed building materials whenever possible.”

Duggan said McMenamins tries to honor a building’s past as part of the renovation. Elsewhere in Oregon, the company’s Kennedy School revamp converted old classrooms into lodging, preserving the original chalkboards in bedrooms.

In Gearhart, walls are decorated with copies of historic photos donated by local residents, depicting the area’s past.

“We’re trying to embrace what the region has to offer,” he said.

Duggan emphasized that personal connection is part of the McMenamins approach to all their locations. The company has over 54 locations in Oregon and Washington.

Renee Rank is marketing director for McMenamins. She said the Gearhart location opened March 4.

“McMenamins takes an eclectic approach,” she said. “The history of our locations is important. We have two historians on staff, and their job is to find out what was in that building and community back in the day.”

Rank said the company is very happy to be in Gearhart; she said community response to the renovation has been supportive.

“It’s meant to be a gathering location,” Duggan said of the Sandtrap, “We think of it as a place for the community.”

McMenamins Sandtrap features two bars, a restaurant, and catering facilities.

“We bring a lot of experience to this type of establishment,” Duggan said.

McMenamins is a self-sufficient enterprise that makes most of the beverages served onsite.

“Everything is handcrafted,” said Duggan. “We make our own beer, we have our own winery and coffee roaster, and we have a distillery to make our own spirits.”

The restaurant will feature fresh seafood and other dishes.

Duggan hopes the new Sandtrap will become a community focal point. The facility has cozy amenities like real wood burning fireplaces, and firepits outside on the deck overlooking the golf course, where campfires at dusk will warm guests on chilly evenings.

The facility employs about 40 people.

“It’s a company based on fun,” Duggan said. “A place to meet and have fun.”

McMenamins Sandtrap is located at 1157 N Marion St. The restaurant and pub will be open seven days a week, opening at 11 a.m. Mon. through Fri., and at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closing times vary from 10 p.m. to midnight.

For more information about McMenamins, visit www.mcmenamins.com.