- Blairally Vintage Arcade 245 Blair Boulevard. 541-683-1721.
- Izakaya Meiji 345 Van Buren Street. 541-505-8804. Izakayameiji.com.
- Sam Bond’s 407 Blair Boulevard. 541-431-6603. Sambonds.com.
The nerds have had their revenge, as this year’s winner for Best Bar is none other than Blairally Vintage Arcade, a pinball hall and bar located in the heart of the Whiteaker. Known for its classic pinball machines and Eugene Pinball Knights league tournaments, they also boast a wide range of drinks and events to get kids (allowed before 9 pm) and adults coming back for more. A local favorite is Church of the ’80s, a Friday night dance party featuring all ’80s music happening weekly. Heidi McVittie, an employee of Blairally, says they are super excited about the win. When asked if they had anything to say to their adoring community, she quickly responded, “Thank you. We love you. Keep coming in!” If you’re in the Whit, make sure to stop by for a quick game (or two), get your dance on and have a couple drinks. — Amber Cecil
A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!

Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
