Portland Bar Wants To Fill In For Your Family This Thanksgiving

At Arcadia National Bar in Portland, the pinball machines and video games are quiet, the board games sit on the shelves and the bar isn't serving. There hasn't been any public activity here since the beginning of the pandemic in March aside from a door that has been converted to a take-out window for an item or two from their kitchen.

In a recent interview with WMTW, Arcadia owner Dave Aceto said staying closed is a choice he thought was prudent. "It's a hard line we set on safety and that's always going to be the priority for us,” he said during the interview, wearing a mask in the empty bar that was often full of patrons drinking local brews and playing pinball.

It's a tough place to be in, but that hasn't diminished Dave's sense of humor.

In a recent post on the Arcadia National Bar Facebook page, which regulars who know Dave well will instantly recognize was written by him, he sends the message that choosing to not see families over Thanksgiving is the responsible thing to do. With that in mind, he has offered to fill in for those family members you aren't able to be with this holiday. For just $5 he'll call or text with a message of something you might hear from someone in your family at the Thanksgiving dinner table. My favorite is "Wow, you and Gary get along so well for... roommates."

Is he serious? Probably not. But knowing Dave, you can never be too sure.