By Kay Bridges, Tigard Life
Come and join Greg and Gregg at Davidson’s for the Root Beer Reunion. Old and New friends meet up.
When you walk in the front door of Davidson’s turn to your right to see pictures of what this building looked like years ago. You may see people reminiscing in front of the picture wall. A man may be telling his wife stories about what it was like to stop at Davidson’s years ago when he was in college. Just past the picture wall is the addition to the building that replaced the drive-in area for cars. Now referred to as the Back Room, where your group can gather or you can call and reserve it ahead of time.
Gregg Davidson bought the Restaurant in April 1972 after owning restaurants on Woodstock and in Garden Home. He still stops by to eat here and visit with the new owner Greg White, yes another Greg(g). 22 Years ago in August of 1996 Greg White bought the restaurant and you will see him behind the Cash Register, chatting with customers and sometimes cooking your meal. Some customers will wait to be seated until after they’ve had a chance to greet Greg. He has been a special part of their lives. It’s more than the food at Davidson’s.
There is a secret of the Root Beer from the days when there was a huge Root Beer Mug sign over the Restaurant. That sign may be gone but the Root Beer’s the same. It’s made with real cane sugar instead of corn syrup from day one. The fantastic Root Beer is brewed and piped up from the basement to the fountain for Root Beer lovers. Retired contractor, Ken Bergman, tells how the basement was an excavator’s challenge to store the Root Beer vats. Reminisce over a mug and share the memories.
Root Beer History? Colonists in early America didn’t have crops of barley or other grains to use when making their small beer, so they had to use sweeteners such as honey, molasses, and cane sugar. They didn’t have hops for bitterness, so they had to discover which plants in the new world would provide bitterness and flavor. That is the real beginning of root beer! It is truly as American as apple pie, and a lot older than apple pie.
And then there’s the Coffee Meet ups. Drop by at 5:30 a.m. week days and find locals gathered for their traditional coffee time. The restaurant’s crew will jump into high gear when all the people arrive. You’ll hear the servers call out “Hot plate – behind you – comin’ thru.” It’s the family diner experience of the home town restaurant where everything is made from scratch.
The cinnamon rolls are a treat, fresh or made into yummy French toast. They come individually or in a tray of a dozen for your functions, at work or home. The Cole slaw still has that same special Davidson’s taste. There’s even a family that comes down from Camas, Washington once a year when they see that the Raspberry pie is on special. They tell how they have a slice here and then take a whole pie home. It’s a tradition.
More traditions? St. Patricks’ day Davidson’s makes their special Corned Beef and Cabbage. Moms get an Oregon grown rose from Peterkort Roses compliments of Davidson’s on Mother’s Day. Mom will get a rose plus a great meal she’ll always remember. On Veterans Day, Greg offers a special discount for Veterans and this year several were interviewed to post on Facebook.
Bringing in the new, Davidson’s added a Happy Hour menu from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays. New items not on the regular menu to intrigue and delight you.
Davidson’s has managed to keep the memories alive. To honor those memories Greg and Gregg will be hosting a Root Beer Reunion in May, announcing the exact date and details on Davidson’s Facebook Page. Invite your friends and family to come by for that fantastic Root Beer and meet up with old friends and new friends for the Root Beer Reunion Celebration Extravaganza.
Good things are sometimes hard to find. Enter the parking lot directly from Highway 99 or turn on Walnut at the stop light to the back of the parking lot by the car wash. Lots of parking.
Do you have pictures of the Good Ole’ Days at Davidson’s or a story to tell?
Contact Kay Bridges on email with Davidson’s in the subject line to kaylbridges@gmail.com, call 503-671-0218, or mail your story and pictures to Kay Bridges, PO Box 69023, Portland, Oregon 97239. Your story will be posted at the Restaurant for the reunion. Come and share the tradition. Event date will be posted on Davidson’s Facebook Page. Click Like!
