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Old Town Beaverton, the once sleepy neighborhood that became an exciting de facto food hall during the pandemic, is about to welcome a highly anticipated beer bar.
Loyal Legion will hold a grand opening for its second location on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4500 SW Watson Ave.
Although it was originally scheduled to begin service on this past July Fourth holiday, supply chain issues and construction delays pushed back the official launch date. The historic Bank of Beaverton building, a Spanish colonial-style structure that used to house an Arthur Murray Dance Studio, has since undergone months of renovations to transform what was a sprawling ballroom into a 150-seat taphouse.
There are also more intimate accommodations in a cocktail bar on the second floor in what used to be office space. And in a nod to the building’s past, the former bank vault remains intact only now it functions as a private room where you can watch sports or reserve it for a dinner.
Since patio seating remains in demand, Loyal Legion ended up converting the building’s 3,000-square-foot parking lot into a 100-seat patio. Eventually, a large pergola will be installed, covering most of the outdoor space.
Kurt Huffman’s restaurant group ChefStable, which opened the original 99-handle Loyal Legion in 2015 at the corner of Southeast 6th Avenue and Alder Street, says it has been eyeing Beaverton’s Old Town for years as a location to open one of its brands. The company originally wanted to bring a Lardo to the property next door, but Big’s Chicken ended up snagging the site. So when the opportunity arose to move into the old Arthur Murray, Huffman jumped on it.
Loyal Legion joins a growing number of Portland restaurants with spinoff locations in the heart of Old Town Beaverton. In the past three years, the area has landed Ex Novo Brewing, Top Burmese, Afuri Izakaya and, most recently, the Sudra. Though not open yet, the marquee for Sizzle Pie recently went up in the neighborhood. Breakside Brewery and Binary Brewing are also scheduled to join what city officials have now dubbed “restaurant row,” which includes longtime favorites Nak Won—known for its tabletop Korean barbecue and K-pop videos playing on the bank of TVs—and Decarli, purveyor of rustic Italian food.
It became even easier to enjoy a multi-restaurant feast now that the Beaverton Downtown Association keeps a stretch of road in the middle of those businesses closed, in order to create the 1st Street Dining Commons. The pavilion, which switches out shade sails and swing seats in summer for heavy-duty tents and heaters come winter, is still standing and remains popular among customers and restaurant owners alike.
A city of Beaverton survey sent to operators of establishments in the area and members of the community last year found that 95 percent of respondents appreciated the set up.
“It feels like all of us are building a very cool community of bars and restaurants on the west side,” Huffman stated in a press release. “We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to take over a historic building like this and to become part of the Beaverton restaurant community.”
Loyal Legion’s grand opening begins at 4 pm this Saturday. The bar will open with evening service to start, with plans to add lunch service in the weeks to come.
Related: A New Food Hall in Beaverton Offers a Dining Experience That’s Actually Improved During the Pandemic