The Round Up Saloon and crew. IMAGE PROVIDED
Creswell, Oregon is known for its tight-knit communities, caring townspeople and accommodating businesses. The Round Up Saloon, formerly known as The Round Up Tavern, has been around nearly as long as the town itself and lives up to that reputation.
The building was constructed at the turn of the 20th century and is currently owned by Tamara Blum and Al Bennett. The bar itself, purchased in 2010 by Kelly Coughlin, is a staple of the community and in July of this year, Kelly will be celebrating his eight-year anniversary as the bar’s owner.
The City of Creswell has grown over the years, and The Round Up Saloon has been there every step of the way to welcome members of the community with a friendly smile, a cold beer, and an empathetic ear.
Prior to purchasing The Round Up, Kelly Coughlin lived in Boise, Idaho and returned to Oregon in 2010.
”I was born and raised in Oregon but I wasn’t familiar with Creswell much at all. It was a scary business decision for me at the time both personally and financially. But Creswell had this hometown feel, a Norman Rockwell kind of place,” Kelly said, thinking back on what attracted him to the small town.
”My personal goal has always been to create an atmosphere where anyone and everyone who walked through our doors would feel welcome and comfortable; a neighborhood pub, a place like Cheers.”
Since 2010, the building has undergone many improvements including a complete exterior facelift on Front Street and the addition of the covered patio on the north-facing side in 2012. An 8-foot by 60-foot original mural was handpainted by Connie Huston in 2011 and depicts a ”Lonesome Dove”-inspired theme throughout Oregon. The mural took over six months to complete and has attracted a lot of attention.
”Of all the physical changes to the building the mural was the most fulfilling for me personally. It is a proud legacy of the past that I hope will be admired long after I’m gone,” Kelly said.
Kelly currently serves the community with six welcoming faces: Dee Parent, Robin Joyce, Ulla Hacker-Harada,, Aaron Haaby and Amanda Harding. Each individual shares Kelly’s work ethic and is every bit as committed to customer service. Kelly and his crew have many years of combined hospitality experience and know how to treat their customers.
”Our business has far exceeded my expectations and I’m extremely proud of my staff and the loyal support we receive from our customers and friends in the community. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of our past and present customers and employees for that outcome. They have become my second family,” Kelly said.
The Round Up offers 11 domestic and locally crafted draught beers on tap. They also offer a variety of wines and one of the best selections of liquors to choose from in the area. In addition to drinks, The Round Up offers specialty dinners nearly every night of the week. From ”Meatloaf Monday” to ”Taco Wednesday,” their dinner options are well received by the community.
Aaron Haaby smokes and barbecues every week and offers full prime rib dinners Saturday evenings, smoked pulled pork dinners Thursday evenings and smoked prime rib beef stroganoff on Tuesday evenings.
Another popular culinary favorite is offered by Creswell resident Chris White (Dub’s Pies). White’s handcrafted personal pizzas are available for lunch and dinner anytime throughout the week.
The Round Up Saloon features a clean and comfortable, yet rustic setting and offers lottery machines, a pool table, jukebox and multiple wide-screen televisions. The Round Up also hosts numerous social events throughout the year. Monthly wine tastings from local vineyards, hosted by Ulla Hacker-Harada, are available, and local bands such as The Fret Boys and The Minors occasionally play live music. The Round Up is a popular local spot for potlucks during sporting events, birthday parties, wedding receptions and anniversaries.
The Round Up Saloon’s doors are open for holidays and the Round Up offers complimentary dinners, prizes and good company on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Saint Patrick’s Day. Fun and entertaining get-togethers like their Halloween Costume Party and Ugly Sweater Christmas Party attract a lot of attention with the locals.
With 2018 well underway, Kelly knows his employees and customers will be there to make it spectacular. The Round Up Saloon has been serving Creswell for over 85 years, and with support from the community and the dedicated teamwork of Kelly and his employees, there’s no doubt they’ll be around for 85 more.
The Round Up Saloon has raised the bar for businesses in the area.
The Round Up Saloon is located at 13 N. Front St. in Creswell and is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call them at 541-895-2002 or visit them on Facebook at @RoundUpTavern.
