Max’s Tavern Closed?
Brought up in the comments on the previous post, there are rumors that the popular East 13th Avenue bar is now closed. Others say that it is closed for renovations and will reopen next year. Because I’ve never been a part of its scene, I’ll leave it to other OC alumni to discuss the fate of the bar. Autumn and Brandon have thoughts on the situation.
(Curiousity satisfied Courtney?)
Is ward Chase? I was in eugene in the 90’s (93-98). I remember that chase really was an asshole. And his little sidekick owen. What a couple toolbags. I remember one night, a little hippy kid smashed chase in the face with his skateboard (Chase was notorious for being a prick to the “hippies”). This kid was all of 5-2 and 90 lbs soaking wet. Fucking priceless! Ah i miss the good old days in eugene. PS chase, “hippies” aren’t that fucking bad, Im a structural engineer now.
Peace!
This page is still coming up on google searches for max’s which, yes, is still open. Just enjoyed a guinness there tonight.
Well, then, google away!
Thong ass!!
Somebody found it on google. Damnable google.
Why are we still responding to this post?
Yes, Max’s is back up and running. It looks great and the beer tastes good.
More like “pedantic” or “obsessive-compulsive”, anal-retentive technically referrs to personality traits from infancy where one derives pleasure from refusing to defecate. Connotatively “anal-retentive” more implies doing that which is unpleasant or denying oneself relief.
Although, as this post clearly indicates, I am quite obstinant so perhaps “anal” could apply also.
Anal like that, are we Timothy?
I bet somebody will if you stop using numbers for words.
For those of us removed 1k miles+, could some1 answer the above question?
Is Max’s back in order yet?
The cover story, written by Hermann Erich Freiderich von Carp III, was in the last issue of 1994 … title: Bar None … another fine piece of writing by Fritz to cap a career of giant killing on campus (victims included OSPIRG, Oregon Student Lobby & USSA).
This article detailed the story behind the bar and bar back that were stolen from Max’s and happened to end up at the Collier House. The original bar is a thing of ancient beauty and has no place being in a coffee house … Savages … lay your eyes upon its lines and you’ll hear it calling out for drunk coeds to screw their brains out on top of it … after booting the last drunk out the back door, of course.
I’m making a pilgrimage to the People’s Republic of Eugene for the grand re-opening of MAX’S (or shortly there after) … Ward’s vision of a proper watering hole is not to be missed … this will certainly launch a new era for Oregon’s second oldest bar and I want to be there to witness it.
Couldn’t find it in your online archive, but check for stories about the collier house or max’s itself…circa 1994-95….Viva la Max’s!…oh, and don’t call me chase anymore, that asshole is dead.
Okay kiddies, here’s the poop straight from the horse’s ass (as it were)….
We’ve never done any major renovations of the plumbing in my tenure (since ’93). There were two separate drain systems under the floor. One for the restrooms, installed circa 1970 and tied to the primary building sewer which runs under Little’s. This is in working order, and aside from a few obstructions, was not the problem. What was the problem was an independent drainage system that had been installed under the bar some time in the early 1980’s. You’d probably need to call your eighth grade science teacher to understand what happens to iron pipe when years of beer and (especially) Soda pop run through them. For those of us who do not need a primer in chemistry, suffice it to say there wasn’t much left of that plumbing to be found.
What we did find was about six and a half feet of sludge once we opened the floor, which had finally given into the bog. Now when I say ‘sludge’, Imagine the term ‘quickmud’ (relative to ‘quicksand’) and almost seven feet deep!
The next question is obviously, “what about the rest of the building?”
Ever hear of Helical Pier Technology? (research that one)
We had to shore up and restabilize the load bearing wall between Max’s and Little’s. They sunk (8 or 12) piers sixteen or so feet down until they found solid earth, then releveled the foundation.
Meantime the swamp was cleared, leaving a crater, where once there was a fine watering hole.
In this process,everything not at least three feet off the floor was quickly and forcibly removed, lest the swamp eat the whole building before we could stabilize it.
and there we are…
The state of the art drainage we have now installed is pretty much overkill and would be the pride of any submarine commander. It is also constructed of materials that do not succumb to petty chemical taunts such as Dr. Pepper or Red Hook. This system is built for speed and volume, and will (hopefully) not reek anytime during my life.
As to the rest of the room: I don’t want to give you any secrets or false hope, but we’re working on something, well, nice. I’m certain that term and Max’s seem mutually exclusive, but while we’ve got the opportunity, we’re working off the dream sheets we’ve compiled the last ten or more years…you can research your own dirty little rag to figure out what I’m insinuating…
Say ‘hi’ to the Oh Man for me, and if you’re looking for the exclusive on this story, all the fotos and the facts, and perhaps a play by play preview before the rebirth…I’m sure we could negotiate something.
You little jackals always have been entertaining.
Write on!
sincerely,
the asshole formerly known as chase
This one’s for Max’s — the first great Commentator bar.
Max’s was never my place, but I’m sad to see a well loved local establishment have such trouble. Viva La Max’s!
Also, I am likewise very far away, and not going to return anytime soon, but I would still feel like a part of me had died a sad, cirrhosis-related death if Max’s closed for good. It was the only bar I went to underage, and last time I was there, my friends and I set the high score for erotic photo hunt. My glass is up there with Olly’s.
🙂 Thank you boys.
Bar: gone. Booths: gone. Windows: covered in newspaper. Written there: “The earth opened up and swallowed Max’s… and it was good.”
I’m a long way away right now, but I’m raising a glass in salute. My very first night in Eugene was spent getting smashed there, and my first AP piece was also Max’s-centric. Lot of memories tied up in that bar. May it return soon.
Yes, the bar is closed for now, here is the story (or at least a plausable explaination from a reliable source)
A couple of years ago they had a water main break under the bar. They fixed it in a very half-assed manner thinking it would only be a temporary fix. Of course they promptly forgot about the problem.
Flash forward to a couple of weeks ago. The good people at Max’s see the pool table sinking along with the floor. It seems the problem has gotten severly worse. To add on top of that, this somhow caused a problem in the sewage line.
At that point, they had little choice but to rip out most of the floor and replace the pipes.