Brian McMenamin (born 1957) is an American businessman in the state of

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. A native of the state, he and his older brother Mike McMenamin founded the

McMenamins McMenamins is a family-owned chain of brewpubs, breweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs in Oregon and Washington. Many of their locations are in rehabilitated historical properties; at least nine are on the National Register ...

restaurant and

brewpub Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

chain in 1983. He serves as general manager and vice-president of the company which operates more than 50 locations that include music venues such as the Crystal Ballroom, movie theaters such as the

Bagdad Theatre The Bagdad Theatre is a movie theater in the Hawthorne District of Portland, Oregon, United States. It originally opened in 1927 and was the site of the gala premiere of '' One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' in 1975, and of ''My Own Private Ida ...

, historic buildings converted to brewpubs like the Cornelius Pass Roadhouse, and several hotels.

Early life

Brian McMenamin was born in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

, in 1957 to Robert W. and Pat McMenamin. He was raised in Northeast Portland where he attended

Catholic school Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...

s, including local Madeleine Grade School and Jesuit High School in nearby Beaverton. He then went to

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering co ...

in Corvallis where he studied pre-law, as his father was an attorney. McMenamin graduated from the school in 1980 with a degree in political science. His older brother Mike was involved in several ventures involving taverns and pubs in the 1970s. Brian worked for his brother at

Produce Row Café Produce Row Café, or Produce Row, is a restaurant and craft beer bar in Portland, Oregon's Buckman neighborhood, in the United States. Description In 2016, Martin Cizmar of ''Willamette Week'' wrote, "Before it closed in 2014, Produce Row was a ...

in Southeast Portland, before the two partnered to start McMenamins Pub in Hillsdale, in 1980 with financial assistance from their father. That pub is not part of the current company.

McMenamins

Mike McMenamin purchased the Fat Little Rooster bar in Southeast Portland in 1983, starting the company. He renamed it as the Barley Mill Pub and Brian soon joined the company. The next year the brothers and several others lobbied the

state legislature A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

to change Oregon's law that prohibited those making alcohol from selling it on the premises, allowing for the establishment of

brewpubs Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

. By 1991 the company had grown to 25 locations and $10 million in annual sales. Brian serves as the vice-president and general manager of the company, which is the fourth largest chain of brewpubs in the United States. He owns 30% of the brothers' share of the privately held company that grosses over $70 million annually. The brothers own 75% of the company. Brian is considered the "numbers guy" of the company known for restoring historic properties.

References

External links

Past and repast mix it up for McMenamins
– ''The Portland Tribune''
The Brews Brothers
– ''Via'' magazine

– ''Oregon Stater''

– ''National Geographic'' {{DEFAULTSORT:McMenamin, Brian Living people Oregon State University alumni American restaurateurs 1957 births Businesspeople from Portland, Oregon McMenamins Philanthropists from Oregon