Beloved local Jazz club struggling to stay afloat - Fox 12 Oregon

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The 1905, a business many know and love in north Portland, said they’re having a hard time staying afloat.

Aaron Barnes, who is a co-owner of the business, said their difficulties began with the pandemic. However, they’re hopeful with a little help they can keep their doors open and the energy alive.

“It’s electric,” Barnes explained. “It’s smiles everywhere. It’s heads nodding, and sometimes even people dancing. If you can check out a show, I think you can understand why we keep fighting for what we do.”

Barnes is trying his hardest to make sure their doors don’t close, as he said he has seen some of his favorite places have no choice but to do so.

“The 1905 is an extension of me. It’s like my living room, or home away from home. Maybe worse, it’s my home, and my home is my home away from home.”

Barnes believed 2020 was going to be their banner year, but the pandemic brought that thought to a standstill. He said the aftermath has since complicated things.

“I don’t think any business is immune to those aftereffects,” he expressed. “We’ve watched prices go up on ingredients, packaging, labor and it’s a completely different world.”

Suddenly, he said their business model felt much more difficult to make work. He explained that nights are a hit or miss, and what used to be popular late shows don’t draw the same big crowds as they once did.

“I feel like Portland is a sleepier town than it used to be,” he said.

He explained that musicians that play at The 1905 are brought in by them being partially a non-profit, relying on ticket sales and donations. However, he said the for-profit side of things isn’t seeing much revenue, which they need to pay staff, among other things.

Barnes also believes the pandemic changed the way people view the business’s identity, “and we were really seen as a venue rather than a restaurant.”

Seven years ago, Barnes recalled they started off as a restaurant and serving things like pizza, where they later implemented jazz elements.

“Having that jazz twist for us, I think, really set us apart.”

He said that he’s humbled to have heard regulars and musicians who have played at The 1905 say his business is an iconic place in Portland that needs to stay. A GoFundMe was started on their behalf, which is something Barnes wished it didn’t have to come to.

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