If you’ve ever driven along Highway 26 between Portland and Mt. Hood, it’s hard to miss the colorful Skyway Bar and Grill in Zigzag. Specializing in barbecue and other handmade food as well as live music, Skyway has helped to underwrite KBOO’s Saturday bluegrass show, “Music from the True Vine,” for several years now. Recently I had a chance to catch up with owner Tracie Anderson.
JM: Tracie, thank you for taking the time to talk, and of course for your support of KBOO. How long have you owned Skyway?
TA: We bought the building in 2000. After a bit of a false start we reopened the doors and are enjoying our 9th year of offering barbecue, comfort food, drinks, live music, and fun.
JM: Is this your first bar?
TA: Yes it is. My partner Tom has always wanted to have a place where he could display his eclectic collection of art, cars, and really all kinds of “stuff.” Ultimately, we both wanted to create a place where people could come and enjoy homemade food and drink, as well as entertainment, in a fun, artistic space. It was also really important to us that we create a space in which all people would feel welcome, so we get a great mix. Sometimes I look out and see kids dancing with seniors!
JM: Skyway is a strong supporter of live music. Has this been well-received by the community?
TA: It really has. When we first bought the building I guess we thought it might take off a little faster than it did. That said, now we're pretty much the only folks up here who are featuring live music regularly, and the word is getting out. As I mentioned, our primary goal has been to make sure that everyone feels welcome, so when it comes to choosing music we knew we didn’t want to stick to only one genre. It’s the quality of the music that matters to us more than the style, which is why on any given night folks can hear bluegrass, country, rock, jazz, hiphop, and all kinds of entertainment in general; not too long ago we had a wrestling match! We consistently host regional and national acts and are proud about every one of them, but we really do think it’s important to feature as many quality local acts as possible. We especially love the opportunity to introduce new bands to the community. At the end of the day, we want it to be fun.
JM: What led you to consider becoming a KBOO underwriter?
TA: Originally we had been supporting KBOO through individual memberships for a long time. A few years ago I decided to give myself the birthday present of a much larger contribution to KBOO. When I called in during a membership drive and mentioned that I owned Skyway, the volunteer who answered the phone suggested that I consider using that money to promote the bar through program underwriting. It’s been really cool that we can promote Skyway and still be giving the kind of strong support that’s important to me.
JM: Do you think your work with KBOO has brought folks through the door?
TA: So many of our customers have heard about us through our underwriting on KBOO. With a station as important as KBOO, people feel personally proud and excited to hear Skyway on the air. I think that old “Halo Effect” is real; it makes people happy to tell you that they heard about you on KBOO!
JM: What else would you like folks to know about Skyway?
TA: I think Tom and I were a bit surprised by the early struggles, but now we’re busy and people are excited to see the success. We’ve got the same folks working here, they’ve become family, and it makes for a good environment. It’s really satisfying to see the development of this little “Skyway community.” We’re basically throwing house parties every night and our customers are becoming friends and family, too. True, sometimes the “old guard” is starting to have to wait a couple minutes for a table, but they're honestly happy to be a part of the success. We’re building relationships and the word is getting out, especially about the comfort food. In fact, this month’s issue of Portland Monthly names Skyway as a “Mac and Cheese destination” and called ours “the mac and cheese you’ve been dreaming of.” They Interviewed our chef, Jason Horner, and he gave some of the secrets--but not all--so you’ll still have to come and try for yourself!
71545 East HWY 26 (Milepost 43)
Zigzag, OR 97049
(503) 622-3775