New owners Shannon and Ron Di Sandro stand for a portrait in the Portway Tavern.

While living in Seattle, Ron and Shannon Di Sandro would often take trips down to Astoria.

During their visits, the couple would always make a stop at the Portway Tavern, a popular pub in Uniontown.

“The Portway has always been a place that I’ve come to and one of the reasons is just the consistency. It has a lot of local flavor and the food is amazing,” Ron Di Sandro said, noting that the well-priced steaks were also an appeal.

Several years ago, the Di Sandros decided to move to the North Coast, landing in Seaside with plans to relocate to Astoria.

“We figured it would be a great place to raise our family and have a business,” Shannon Di Sandro said.

With Shannon Di Sandro’s background in the bar and restaurant industry in mind, the couple reached out to David and Christina Warner, who owned the Portway Tavern, about acquiring their favorite spot.

Earlier this month, the Di Sandros took on ownership.

Outside of making renovations to the bar and doing some work on the building, the couple is not looking to make any major changes to the spot on Marine Drive.

“We want to keep the same vibe. The menu is amazing, so we’re not changing that because everybody loves it. We love it,” Shannon Di Sandro said. “We really wanted to come in and continue on with the Portway model.”

Outside of maintaining consistency with food, drinks and service, Ron Di Sandro pointed to the tavern’s history as a selling point for customers, noting that it has long been a location that served the region’s longshoremen, boat captains, U.S. Coast Guard personnel and others from the maritime industry.

“The value for the community — I think that it retains the history. I think that’s probably one point,” he said. “Its representation of its place in history, I think that’s really important.”

With the Portway’s 100-year anniversary approaching, the Di Sandros are hoping to learn more about the history and find ways to honor it.

“I want to do something big for the centennial,” Ron Di Sandro said. “ … We have to celebrate it properly and figure out the best way to do that.”

The couple, who has three children, also hopes to contribute to the community and local schools in a number of ways.

“Having this business will allow us to look at what needs to be done and who needs help,” Shannon Di Sandro said.

Ron Di Sandro also noted the plans the city and Port of Astoria have for redevelopment along the waterfront in the coming years.

“We’re really excited about the development that is happening in Uniontown and playing a role in that,” he said. “ … We do want to be a part of that and make sure that the city progresses in a healthy way.”