Gnarly Grey finds success near campus

Portland State graduate Johnnie Ozimkowski remembers when his favorite bar, Paccini, closed, leaving a noticeable hole in the social scene on campus.

In an attempt to fill the void, Ozimkowski and his friend Cory Eckberg did what any quick-thinking individuals would do in their situation: They opened up their own bar.

The idea came to fruition in September 2012, when Gnarly Grey first opened its doors at Southwest 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street, near the north end of the Park Blocks. Its humble beginnings, however, do little to betray Ozimkowski and Eckberg’s vision of a laid-back and relaxed environment for students.

“Like all good ideas, it came to us over a couple of beers,” Ozimkowski said. “Cory and I were just playing with some numbers, and we decided we should just run with it.”

Gnarly Grey’s business is growing steadily, they said, its operation described by Ozimkowski as a “political campaign.” Some flyers have been handed out, but the bar’s progress has been attributed more to word-of-mouth than expensive advertising.

In order to be the next Paccini, Ozimkowski explained the focus must be redirected back through PSU.

Ozimkowski, former chair of the Associated Students of Portland State University’s student fee committee, graduated with degrees in political science and economics last spring. His experience dealing with student groups in the university, coupled with Eckberg’s education in finance, helped the two realize that owning and operating a dining establishment just might be within their reach.

It also encouraged Ozimkowski to attempt to connect Gnarly Grey back to the PSU community.

In addition to fundraisers for student groups such as KPSU radio, Ozimkowski hopes to continue to give back to both the PSU community and local nonprofits. By working with nonprofit groups, Gnarly Grey can buy and sell kegs for a discounted price—rerouting money back to the nonprofits and giving students a place to grab a few post-class beers without breaking the bank.

Gnarly Grey also strives to embody the university’s focus on sustainability, using hand-cut steaks bought from local farms and beer purchased from local breweries. All this, according to Ozimkowski and Eckberg, allows Gnarly Grey to operate a bit differently than your typical campus bar.

“It really helps us to do a lot of things other bars won’t,” Eckberg said. “We probably have the cheapest beer in the downtown area.”

“I would put our happy hour up against anyone else’s,” Ozimkowski added.

A hamburger and a beer during Gnarly Grey’s happy hour runs about $7. Pool is always free, and specials like dollar-beer Mondays give students an affordable alternative to other establishments on or near campus.

But Ozimkowski was quick to point out that establishing an enjoyable place for students to visit cannot be done with pricing alone.

By choosing to exclude Keno, Gnarly Grey can host minors until 10 p.m.—imperative for bringing out college students and creating a familial environment that will help bring the community closer together and connect it with the greater Portland metro area, they said.

Blake Roberts first visited Gnarly Grey with his roommate, a PSU student. “For me it’s more than a bar, it’s a group of friends. It has an It’s Always Sunny vibe,” Roberts said, referencing the popular TV show on FX.

But Gnarly Grey’s patrons are overwhelmingly PSU students—according to Ozimkowski, around 30 percent of cards run at Gnarly Grey are HigherOne debit cards.

And while Gnarly Grey has only been open for four months, Ozimkowski and Eckberg hope to use ties to the college community to deepen the sense of community in the area.

Or, at the very least, to create a place where students can come up with an idea for the next Gnarly Grey.

“I would love to be known as the bar where someone came up with the idea for a top 500 company,” Ozimkowski said. “We need places like that, where people can get together and realize ideas.”