A few weeks back, Country Bills in Woodstock was demolished to make way for Gawd-knows-what (mixed-used condos?). My pal managed to capture a couple of pix of ghost signs that were revealed during the demo.
What else is there to say? Was the food good? Hardly. But it was more than just a restaurant- it had a great bar, signage, and vibe that is quickly disappearing. Another part of old Portland that’s gone forever. Check out some photos from its life, here.
Lost Oregon 
9 replies on “Lost: Country Bills, Portland, Ore.”
Somehow in my wanderings ’round Woodstock I don’t think I ever looked at this place. Maybe I blocked it out of my head since “steak house” translates “nothing to eat here” for a vegetarian. Looked to have a great neon sign. Alas.
Wish someone had bought the place during the two years it was on the market and kept Mr. CB’s, but that was a non-starter with the million-dollar pricetag
Hi – can’t find your email. My dad was a chef in Portland in the 1950’s 60’s – my sister & I have a couple of menus, memories, etc. He worked at London Grill, Aloha Room, Athens West, Shellys in the US National Bank, and more plus., leased and ran the dining room at the old Campbell Hotel for several years, etc. I grew up on 21st & NW Hoyt. Interested in any of this – contact me: ptown1950@hotmail.com
I saved the steaks plastic part of the sign and got most the neon off the sign. That’s what I do. I save cool old Portland From Fading Away. speaking of look THE FAMOUS FARM HOUSE IS FOR SALE.
http://thefarmhouseportland.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/welcome-to-the-farm-house-portland-oregon
Country Bill’s is becoming a Zoom Care. Slightly less offensive than another condo, but my heart leapt when I saw new windows and thought it might be a new restaurant that wanted to keep the beautiful hand-painted steaks and seafood sign. Sigh.
How is dense development more offensive than sprawl? Apartments provided dense housing in commercial areas that promotes walking.
Yup…zoom care and gentle dental…oh well.
I don’t understand why you don’t like seeing mixed-use development. Isn’t it better to build up instead of sprawling out into our farm and forest lands? Also, single-use development encourages sprawl. Euclidian zoning encourages sprawl by focusing single uses into distinct areas. If you want walkable, bike-friendly communities, mixing uses such as commercial and residential greatly encourages this dense development. Also, condos are not being built right now as most cannot afford them due to a lack of debt liquidity in the markets. Every mixed-use building going up on the eastside contains apartments, not condominiums.
Hi Jas. That’s a good question. I re-read the post I wrote and I’m wondering why I wrote that line in the post. I’m all for building up – and creating neighborhoods that encourage walkable, bikeable communities. I think it was more of a frustration with another older Portland institution being mowed down for a boxed, bland unit. Maybe it was more of an aesthetic gripe? Thanks for the comment.
-John