Lollipop Shoppe

Not to be confused with The Lollipop Shoppe.

Lollipop Shoppe
Lollipop Shoppe operated in the space that previously housed Dig a Pony (exterior pictured at night in 2022)
Interactive map of Lollipop Shoppe
Restaurant information
EstablishedOctober 28, 2022 (2022-10-28)
ClosedNovember 28, 2025 (2025-11-28)
Owners
  • Elizabeth Elder
  • Devon Treadwell
  • Tyler Treadwell
  • Bryan Wollen
ChefNick Seabergh
Food type
Location736 Southeast Grand Avenue, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, 97214, United States
Coordinates45°31′03″N 122°39′38″W / 45.5174°N 122.6605°W / 45.5174; -122.6605
Seating capacity
200
Websiteweb.archive.org/web/20250325171006/https://www.lollipopshoppe.com/

Lollipop Shoppe was a music venue, bar, and restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Named after the American garage rock band The Lollipop Shoppe, the venue opened in October 2022 in the space that had previously housed Dig a Pony in southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood. It hosted concerts, dance parties, and other events, and served Cajun and Creole cuisine, including po'boys, popcorn shrimp, loaded fries, coleslaw, gumbo, and red beans and rice. In 2025, Lollipop Shoppe launched an unsuccessful fundraising campaign to continue operating. Despite garnering a positive reception for its approachable and diverse programming, the venue closed permanently in November 2025.

Description

The music venue, bar, and restaurant Lollipop Shoppe operated on Grand Avenue at the intersection with Morrison Street in southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood.[1] Named after the American garage rock band The Lollipop Shoppe, the venue had a small stage and a capacity of 200 people, as well as paintings by Samuel Farrell along a wall with booths and custom mosaic tiles installed by Nicky Kriara.[2]

Brooke Jackson-Glidden of Eater Portland said the venue's acts were "more art-punk-esque", with some being "closer to synth pop".[3] The website's Jenni Moore said the venue had a music calendar with "consistently strong up-and-coming acts" and bands from the "peak-2007 Indie Portland era", with performances from Los Angeles DJs to indie bands in Portland.[4]

The Gulf Coast- and Southern-inspired[5] food menu included Cajun and Creole cuisine such as po'boys with catfish, popcorn shrimp, or fried cauliflower with olive salad as a vegan option. Beef debris (shredded roast beef with sauce) was used on sandwiches and loaded fries, which also had cheese sauce, green onions, and pickled Fresno chiles.[3][6] The menu also included coleslaw, gumbo, red beans and rice, and "soggy salad" made from iceberg lettuce marinated in vinaigrette with garlic. Drink options included cocktails such as an absinthe frappé with absinthe and Meletti Dry Anisette, a Bloody Mary, daiquiris, a French 75,[2] hurricanes, mint juleps, Sazeracs, Vieux Carrés, low-proof spritzes on draught, and beers from Fort George, Kokanee, Living Häus, Wayfinder, and other breweries.[3][6] Another drink, known as The Brandy Crusta, had Brandy Sainte Louise, Combier Orange, Maraska maraschino, and bitters.[3]

History

Lollipop Shoppe opened on October 28, 2022. It operated in the space that previously housed the bar Dig a Pony, which closed in June 2022. Devon and Tyler Treadwell co-owned Lollipop Shoppe with Elizabeth Elder and Bryan Wollen, co-founders of the Lose Yr Mind music festival.[6][7][8] Nick Seabergh was the opening chef.[6] In an interview with the Portland Mercury, Elder said the venue's name came from a 1960s band of the same name, whose lead vocalist Fred Cole had a musical connection to Portland.[7] Prior to opening, the venue made changes to the kitchen equipment and expanded the bar.[2] The remodel took longer than anticipated, so some planned shows were hosted at nearby Swan Dive instead.[9] The Treadwells gave up ownership of Lollipop Shoppe in December 2023,[10] and Elder remained an owner up until 2025.[11]

Events and programming

On opening night, Lollipop Shoppe hosted a Halloween show with music by the Reptaliens, Bijoux Cone, Buddy Wynkoop, and DJ Susan Saranwrap.[3][12] Other acts that performed at the venue included the bands Rip Room and Spoon Benders, as well as Chipped Nail Polish,[13] Forty Feet Tall, Jakki and the Pink Smudge,[14] Brazilian musician Johnny Franco,[10] Karma Rivera and DJ Lapaushi,[15] Olympia-based Oh, Rose, the psychedelic synth duo Pearl and the Oysters,[3] Papi Fimbres,[16] and Veana Baby.[17] Lollipop Shoppe hosted "The Thesis",[18] a monthly hip-hop showcase that was previously held at Kelly's Olympian until 2024.[11] The venue also hosted "RNB After Dark",[10] the lesbian dance party "Dyke Nite",[1] and the free music series "Monday Night Live".[16] In 2025, Lollipop Shoppe hosted a listening party for a Shadowgraphs album as well as a concert featuring Roselit Bone, Railing, and Cage Mother.[19][20]

Financial difficulties and closure

In August 2025, the business launched a GoFundMe campaign in an effort to raise $50,000 to pay staff and expand programming,[21] which was unsuccessful. On November 2, the business announced plans to close permanently by the end of the month, citing increased operational costs, crime, and debt as the reasons for the closure. In a statement shared on social media, the owners said they "[needed] to restore our personal and financial balance".[1][5][22] The local band the Macks performed on November 28, the closing night.[10] Eldorado is slated to open in the space in 2026.[23]

Reception

Ezra Johnson-Greenough of Willamette Week described the venue as "open, low-key, approachable, and perfect for showcasing new bands", writing that any customer would have no worries on the cost of entry or fitting in with crowds.[2] Meira Gebel included Lollipop Shoppe in Axios Portland's 2024 list of the city's six "most underrated" live music venues, calling it "the ultimate spot for dinner and a show".[24]

Reporting on the closure, Hannah Seibold of the Portland Tribune said Lollipop Shoppe offered affordable concerts and "vibrant" cocktails.[5] Nolan Parker of the Portland Mercury called the closure "devastating" and said Lollipop Shoppe was "one of Portland's best small rooms",[25] and Parker said the venue brought "some of the most diverse music programming in the city".[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Lollipop Shoppe Is Licked". Willamette Week. 2025-11-04. OCLC 54813570. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Lollipop Shoppe Is Part Neighborhood Bar, Part Live Music Venue". Willamette Week. 2022-12-02. Archived from the original on 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2022-11-09). "What to Know About Southern Cocktail Bar-Meets-Music Venue Lollipop Shoppe Before You Go". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2025-05-08. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  4. ^ Moore, Jenni (2021-07-14). "Portland Restaurants and Bars Where You Can See Live Music". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-10-22. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  5. ^ a b c Seibold, Hannah (2025-11-03). "Southeast Portland says goodbye to its Southern-inspired cocktail bar, music venue this month". Portland Tribune. OCLC 46708462. Archived from the original on 2025-11-06. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  6. ^ a b c d "At Lollipop Shoppe, Portland Has a Brand-New Spot for Late-Night Southern Food". Portland Monthly. ISSN 1546-2765. Archived from the original on 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2026-03-25. So when Tulip Shop co-owners Tyler and Devon Treadwell teamed up with Lose Yr Mind festival cofounders Elizabeth Elder and Bryan Wollen to create Lollipop Shop, the new music venue housed at the former Dig a Pony space (736 SE Grand Ave), they created a food menu that looks just as intriguing as the lineup of shows.
  7. ^ a b "Lose Yr Mind 2022 Expands Its Consciousness Past Psych Rock and Across Multiple Portland Venues". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25. However the festival's longtime organizers Elizabeth Elder and Bryan Wollen (both Lollipop Shoppe co-owners) had already expanded this year's programming to multiple venues.
  8. ^ "Portland's Lose Yr Mind Fest Is Back with Its Biggest Lineup Ever This Year". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-03-25. When the Lollipop Shoppe, co-owned by Elder and Wollen alongside Tulip Shop Tavern owners Devon and Tyler Treadmill, eventually opens, it will be a music venue and bar with a psychedelic rock and roll vibe; the name is inspired by a '60s garage rock band.)
  9. ^ "Hear in Portland: Dodgr's Debut Album, Lose Yr Mind News, and Portland Parks & Rec Works with The Kidz Outside Fest". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  10. ^ a b c d "Lollipop Shoppe Has Permanently Closed". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2025-12-16. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  11. ^ a b "Hear In Portland: The Thesis at Lollipop Shoppe, Portugal. The Surprise EP, and Ice Cube". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  12. ^ Stein, Rosemarie (2022-10-26). "Halloween parties, Indigenous art, and Darrell Grant's MJ New Quartet: 10 things to do this week". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. OCLC 985410693. Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  13. ^ Chipped Nail Polish performs 'Say Something' at Portland's Lollipop Shoppe. Retrieved 2026-03-25 – via Oregon Public Broadcasting.
  14. ^ "Hear In Portland: Jakki and the Pink Smudge, a New Albina Music Trust Compilation + More". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  15. ^ "Ten Picks for Bandcamp Friday February 2023: Death Cab, Say Hi, Kimya Dawson, Woolen Men, and more!". The Stranger. ISSN 1935-9004. OCLC 27341179. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  16. ^ a b c Parker, Nolan. "Portland Says Goodbye to Its Sweetie, Lollipop Shoppe". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  17. ^ "Hear In Portland: Locals Veana Baby and Night Heron Release New Music and Seun Kuti's in Town!". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2025-12-09. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  18. ^ "The Thesis Remains a Proving Ground and a Celebration of Portland's Hip-Hop Community". Willamette Week. 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  19. ^ "Mercury Music Picks: Pete Swanson is Back, a Folky Trio of Bitches, and a Sun Ra Doc at Hollywood". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  20. ^ Andrews, Matthew Neil (October 2, 2025). "MusicWatch Monthly: The beauty of the universe". Oregon ArtsWatch. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  21. ^ Pettigrew, Jashayla (November 4, 2025). "'Hard to say goodbye': Portland concert space to close in late November". KOIN.
  22. ^ Guzman, Dianne de (2025-11-25). "New Orleans-Inspired Bar and Music Venue Lollipop Shoppe Closes". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  23. ^ "Portland's Most Anticipated Restaurants for Spring and Summer 2026". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  24. ^ Gebel, Meira (2024-05-06). "The most underrated live music venues in Portland". Axios Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
  25. ^ "Mercury Music Picks: Pete Swanson is Back, a Folky Trio of Bitches, and a Sun Ra Doc at Hollywood". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
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