Chad Conley 21st Birthday, 2007

Story #13: On this spot Chad Conley celebrated his 21st birthday.

Chad Conley grew up in Portland. His family has lived in the neighborhood for five generations. When Chad was twenty-one he worked long hours in the kitchen across the street at Hugo’s. He had just started dating a new person and he dreamed of opening his own restaurant by the time he was 30. This brick celebrates coming of age. Chad did not know how things would go that night in 2007, but if you cut to 2016 Chad is married to Rachel, his girlfriend at the time. They have just bought a house and are expecting their first child. He also opened his own restaurant The Palace Diner when he was 29. That night in 2007 Chad entered Sangillo’s for the first time. Sangillo’s was a favorite Portland watering hole for 62 years. In 2015 the city decided to revoke Sangillo’s liquor license, stating the bar “endangered the safety of persons residing in the areas surrounding this business”. For many this was a great loss. On Valentine’s Day 2015 Sangillo’s served its last jello shots. This story commemorates Sangi’s role as a the place you go when… (the place you go when you turn 21, the place you go when you get off your restaurant shift, the place you go for last call).