Sagamore Hill Bar, 150 Park Street, at the corner of Congress Street.
Late this afternoon this blogger was seriously in need of a cooling gin and tonic and to help get the celebration of the Fourth of July off the ground. (The temp got up to 93 degrees.) So, I decided to drop in at the new Sagamore HIll Bar. There were no other customers at the time. None.
I told the server that I would like a gin and tonic. When she asked what kind of gin, I told her Hardshore Distilling Gin. She said she’d never heard of it and the bar didn’t carry it. “It must be some local brew,” she responded in a demeaning tone. “It is local,” I answered. “It’s up on Washington Avenue.”
I took Beefeater instead. It was good. When Ryan Deskins, the bar owner, arrived eventually I asked him if he were going to carry Hardshore. From Philadelphia, PA., Deskins said he does carry it and showed Ms. New Orleans the bottle. She giggled. But she never acknowledged her mistake much less apologized for her error or tried to remedy the situation. A good businessman would have taken steps to remedy the mistake, not ignore it. Deskins was a journalism major in college in West Virginia.
Service declined from there. Neither the server who waited on me, the second server or Ryan ever asked me if I wanted another drink or in way acknowledged my presence. Rather the three of them huddled together in the far corner of the bar. They were chatting among themselves about “my favorite recipe” – it appeared.
When I asked Ms. New Orleans if anyone had ordered the infamous glass known as “45” names for Donald Trump – full of hot air and regrets for $2,500, she looked at me in dismay. “It’s a joke honey,” she said – like you fool! Don’t you know better? I really did.
At one point, a pleasant young man came into the bar. He ordered a beer that he drank fast – faster than I drank my gin and tonic. He left. Sagamore Hill was empty again. That’s no excuse for ignoring a customer! One drink was almost $10.00. I left no tip. I was so uncomfortable by that time I could not wait to get out of that place. No one said a word. No thank you for the tip I didn’t leave. No thank you for stopping by at a place I wish I hadn’t stopped by. No Happy Fourth of July!
Is this any way to run a business?
Cheers it is not!
Please visit post herein on opening of Sagamore Hill dated May 25, 2018.
Portland is the strangest US town I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been all over. It’s not just a matter of work ethic or presentation, there seems to be no concept of or regard for how business is done. As a customer I’ve never felt less appreciated. I’m left with the impression that money comes a far second to their desire for you to leave, so that’s what I’m doing. Lease is up in a few months, and I no longer try local businesses unless absolutely necessary. Whatever happens here, economically or otherwise, no concern of mine.