For almost 30 years it has been the pulse of life in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood.
An anchor in the Whit since it opened in 1995, Sam Bond’s Garage has survived the pandemic to host comedy, Drag Takeover shows, weekly Irish and bluegrass jams, weekly bingo, neighborhood civics gatherings, art exhibits and music galore. There has been rock, punk of various stripes, Americana and pop music. The Muse Collective — a burlesque, drag, draglesque, comedy and music troupe — had established residency there with its beautifully outlandish shows.
The venue is also long known for its locally sourced food — from chewy pretzels to its vegan chocolate chip cookie — cocktails and beer. A memorial to longtime Whit legend Lefty Kelleher stands outside the Fourth and Blair corner Sam Bond’s has occupied.
Sadly, Sam Bond’s announced Nov. 11 on Instagram that it will be closing its doors after Dec. 31, and that Sam Bond’s is for sale.
Ownership of Sam Bond’s declined comment to Eugene Weekly, and one longtime employee declined to comment, saying it was a sensitive topic.
The following is a statement from ownership posted on social media about the closure and the impending sale of the iconic building on 4th and Blair.
“In 1995, 3 friends opened up a small public house in an old auto repair shop on 4th and Blair, offering food, drinks, live music and most importantly, a hub for our community. For many of us, Sam Bond’s Garage became our living room away from home. Our check in point.
But like everything else in life, things change.
This is to let everyone know that Sam Bond’s Garage is up for sale, and as of right now, we will not be open for shows or food after Dec 31.
I am going to spend the next month reflecting, talking, reminiscing, etc, but right now, I just wanted to keep this post relatively short and to the point, before word started spreading. We will chat more on this.
Thanks to everyone who was a part of our family over the last 30 years (almost, hah), we love you all and wish everyone the best in the future. Although it feels shitty right now, we also know just how lucky we were to have this special space for so long.”
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.
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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
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