NEWBERG, Ore. — Two longtime friends realized a long-term dream last week with the opening of Encore 77 Taphouse in Newberg’s Crestview Crossing neighborhood.
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Shane Bare and Ryan Mallare soft-opened Encore 77 at 4205 E Crestview Dr, Ste. 127, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, after months of preparing the space to welcome patrons.
“We have to pinch ourselves, especially after this week—it keeps hitting us that we own a taphouse,” Bare said. “And people are showing up! It’s surreal. We’re also exhausted, but it’s so fun so far.”
Bare and Mallare met in middle school and became fast friends, even living together as roommates. They later found careers in corporate jobs—Bare at Nike, where he still works, and Mallare at Wells Fargo. After Mallare was among 700 employees laid off from Wells Fargo in Oregon late last year, he began looking for another opportunity.
“We had always had the dream, but Wells Fargo kind of forced my hand,” Mallare said. “After I was laid off, I went to Shane and said, ‘Hey, are you ready to do this?’”
Bare agreed, and the pair began scouting locations. Now living in Beaverton, they initially explored a space in Portland’s Hawthorne neighborhood. Mallare had also considered Crestview Crossing but assumed it would be too expensive. When the Hawthorne space fell through, they revisited Crestview, worked out a deal, and began the process.
“We picked Newberg because of the space initially—it was perfect, especially with the development going in,” Mallare said, referring to Crestview Crossing and Crestview Greens. “But then, as we were building it out, the community pulled us in.”
Bare said Newberg was a town they often passed through but rarely stopped in—until building the taphouse gave them a reason to connect with neighbors. Since opening, they’ve begun seeing familiar faces returning and bringing friends.
“I feel like I’m in the ’90s again when I’m in Newberg, where everyone talks to other people,” Bare said. “That’s rare these days. I went to the grocery store and talked with someone in line. It just feels like small-town vibes.”
The two hope the bar serves as a connection point for the surrounding neighborhood and Newberg as a whole. The 68-person indoor bar capacity does not include an outdoor patio yet to be set up. Several TVs will display collegiate and professional sports, and possibly local Newberg High School and George Fox University games.
They also want the bar to appeal to families, allowing children until 9 p.m.
“It’s a big part of what we’re doing here,” Mallare said. “We just want people to feel at home. Not to date ourselves, but we’re going for the ‘Cheers’ vibe. Come here and unwind after a long day—we want to be a place you can unwind.”
Encore 77 features 26 taps, including two reserved for kegged cocktails. While not offering a full mixed-drink menu, they will serve higher-end liquor. The food menu is currently limited to wings and appetizers, with plans to expand as the bar grows.
Mallare, who was raised around Filipino culture, leads the food program and hopes to introduce Filipino elements to the menu in the future. For now, the appetizers—including pretzel bites, potstickers, and pickle fries—stand out.
“We want to offer something different but still approachable,” Mallare said. “We visited a few places to see what’s available, and we want to offer something unique—something not common.”
The bar’s name has a few elements—Bare and Mallare were both born in 1977, and Encore was originally picked because of the first location they found on Hawthorn, which was located next to a comedy club. They had planned to be the after-party spot. After that fell through, they realized the name meant more to them—Encore means “repeat” in French, and that sentiment drives a lot of what they’re hoping to cultivate.
“We both come from musical backgrounds, so that played in,” Mallare said. “But then we thought about the repeat angle, and the celebratory nature of an encore in a musical setting. We should be celebrating each other’s moments over and over.”
Encore 77 will remain in a soft-opening phase for an undetermined period as the owners adjust the menu, test events, and refine the rotating tap list.
During soft opening, Encore 77 is open seven days a week: Monday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Learn more on Encore 77’s Instagram page or website.
Clarification Sept. 23 at 6:09 p.m. — The original article stated Mallare was planning to introduce Filipino-influenced food due to his Filipino heritage. Mallare clarified he was raised around Filipino culture but is not Filipino himself.
