The Fixin' To Is Expanding Into a Concert Venue

St. Johns is getting a new music venue.

The Fixin' To, the six-year-old, vaguely Southern-themed bar on North Lombard Street, is converting its back patio into an attached building that will act as a "self-contained space for live music," according to owner Bart Blasengame.

"We wanted to do this for a long time," Blasengame says. "We want to be in St. Johns, and with St. Johns blowing up, it's happening quicker than we thought it would."

While the room will only hold around 100-150 people, it will be one of the few dedicated spaces for live music that far north, particularly after the closure of the Foggy Notion in December.

Blasengame isn't sure about the stylistic focus yet, but the Fixin' To has hosted country acts and rootsy rock bands sporadically in the past.

Blasengame says the build-out will take five to six months. They are aiming to launch the new space in May, in time for the annual St. Johns Parade. They are currently searching for bookers, but the focus will be giving local bands a stage in an area largely devoid of them.

"We know we need it out here," Blasengame says," and we're happy to be the ones to supply it."

Willamette Week