Rhinestone doubles down on fun in year one
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Chef Graham Chaney (left) and bar manager Trevor Thorpe are on a quest to keep Portland bargoers on their toes. Photo: Courtesy of Rhinestone
"Keep it fun" is the guiding principle at Rhinestone, Southeast Portland's Vegas-cowboy-coded cocktail bar, run by bar manager Trevor Thorpe and chef Graham Chaney.
- The menu is just one reflection of that: Flamin' Hot Cheeto-crusted spam sliders, carnitas eggs Benedict, chicken-fried baby-back ribs, and cocktails with names like Helldorado, Get Blasted, and Can I Cricket.
The big picture: This week, industry veterans Thorpe and Chaney are celebrating one year since they launched the concept of Rhinestone at Too Soon.
- The anniversary caps a rapid evolution. From a pop-up to fully realized bar in less than 14 months, Rhinestone was built without outside investors (a rarity these days) and largely through sweat equity.
Zoom in: Thorpe and Chaney — formerly of Interurban and Stammtisch, respectively — self-financed the project from the jump and, on a scaled-back budget, tackled the build-out and decor themselves once they found their spot on Southeast Clinton Street and 21st Avenue (formerly the Houston Blacklight).
- The pair are operating during a tough time for small businesses. Food costs have swung dramatically — egg prices alone have more than tripled at times — and imported spirits have jumped due to tariffs, Chaney told Axios.
- The disconnect between rising costs and what customers expect to pay remains a real concern. "It is really hard to run a tightrope of offering an affordable menu program while still making money at it," Thorpe added.
Yes, but: The response from customers over the last year has reinforced their commitment. Initially, guests may come in attracted to the glittery Western aesthetic and Instagram-friendly offerings, only to find a neighborhood bar that takes both drinks and hospitality seriously.
- "What most people really want is just good service," Thorpe said. "And they can be a little trepidatious when they're uncertain whether or not they're going to get it, but once they get it, they open up."
The bottom line: The team is still betting on Portland. In the short term, they're rebuilding the outdoor patio for summer. Long term? Opening another space.
- "Opening new establishments is simultaneously the worst thing you could ever do and also incredibly rewarding," Chaney said.
If you go: Rhinestone (2100 SE Clinton St.) is open Monday through Thursday from 3pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 3pm to midnight, and Sunday 10am to 3pm.