Bar Norman

04/25/2024

For those who are curious about my next moves: I’m staying firmly rooted in the wine industry, but after nearly 20 years, I’m retiring from hospitality (I write this while smiling because we all know I’ll never really stop doting on others the way this industry has taught me). There won’t be a new wine bar, or a restaurant, instead I’m connecting with my family roots in Austria. My grandpa Norman and grandma Nora were Viennese citizens, stripped of their homes, families, and citizenship when the Nazi’s invaded in 1938. Escaping to London and then the U.S. changed the course of their lives, and they were never able to return to Austria. One of the gifts I was given during the pandemic was the time needed to do the work of becoming an Austrian citizen, taking back what was elemental and foundational to my grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I’m not a woo-woo person in the least, but the pull I feel towards Austria, towards grounding myself and my family there, is undeniable and I know Norman would be delighted to know that his daughter, granddaughters, and great granddaughter are now citizens of his beloved country.

With that, my husband, Scott, and I are launching a new national wine import company in May. Named High Five Selections, we’ll be focusing on the brilliant growers and wines of Styria in southern Austria. In time we’ll be adding wines from further afield in Austria, and expanding into Central and Eastern Europe. While this means that a lot of my work moving forward won’t be consumer-facing, it doesn’t mean I won’t be out in the market supporting all of the fantastic restaurants, wine bars, and bottle shops in Portland! You can trust I’ve got a million ideas brewing and you’re about to hear a lot more about what’s happening in Austrian wine. I’m unbelievably excited about this next step in my career, a move that makes me wildly nervous and feels completely natural at the same time. If you’re into pictures of beautiful vineyards drenched in all shades of green, delicious food, and the kindest farmers and winemakers, please follow . All things BN, including wine club and special events, will show up here. 💛

04/13/2024

new things to come, for this sweet space, for all of us, for all of you. please follow along as BN will be alive in well in wine club and event form, and you won’t want to miss what’s next (surprise! it’s not another wine bar 😘). leaving this place with a full heart and memories for life…it’s been a joy and a pleasure, Portland.

04/09/2024

there aren’t enough thank you’s, but rest assured, our hearts are full. to everyone who became a part of Bar Norman: we love you! more to come…events, wine club, and plenty of more photos. 📸 courtesy of our talented friend

04/02/2024

we’re going out on a high, throwing one last Bar Norman party! come celebrate the end of a beautiful run with us and all our faves: food by , music by and friends (and my daughter, Orly!), and wine til it’s gone. we’ll be open late-late and we can’t wait to hug every one of you. 💜

04/01/2024

as you’ve heard me say many, many times, Bar Norman would not be the place you love so much without the beautiful people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. an Instagram post cannot possibly articulate how much love and appreciation I have for everyone who’s spent time behind our bar, but luckily I’ve laid it on thick in person, as I tend to do.

our team has never been built of “wine people”, but rather of “people people”, those who have an inherent gift of seeing others. along the way we’ve learned a lot about wine, but we’ve really learned how to work together in a more fair and equitable way. the experience has changed my life and I know it’s done the same for our team.

I’d be remiss not to make special mention of our dear Ben Bryant, without whom the past 5.5 years would have looked entirely different. Working alongside such a kind, thoughtful, intentional, funny, hard-working, real person has been the greatest gift of Bar Norman. Ben has been with us since day one, and his leadership and commitment to each of us and each of you is incomparable. Sitting on this rollercoaster has been immeasurably better with you, Ben G!

*post 2 of 2: the pandemic years…see previous post for the pre-pandemic years*

03/28/2024

03/26/2024

so many of you are curious what’s next for the BN team, and we’re so grateful or your caring words of support as we all move on and apart from one another. it’s a contemplative time, to be sure, but we’ve all got ideas brewing, plans in the works, and some much needed rest time coming, too.

if you’re hoping to stay connected to Bar Norman, I’m very excited to say that our wine club will be continuing on! if you sign up by this Friday, you’ll receive April’s wines at the bar, and then be looped in for our monthly tastings and pick up at our new club location (and no, we’re not opening a new bar!). your membership includes hand-chosen wines with corresponding notes, a monthly tasting, special discount offers, and a direct line to scooping up bottles you’re looking for. AND! delivery and shipping will also be available! come join the fun…link in bio.

03/18/2024

thrilled to have the wonderful Magali Terrier joining us live and in person at the bar Weds evening! come thru to taste some of the most dynamic and beautiful wines from Corbières and chat with Magali about her 2 ânes. 6-8pm, $20 to taste. 🫏 🫏

03/05/2024

To all our friends,

It’s bittersweet to share with you that Bar Norman is closing on April 6th. We’ve had a thrilling run on Clinton Street and while I wish we could continue on, this chapter of the bar has come to a close. We’re going to spend the next month celebrating this special place and we hope you’ll join us.

I don’t need to share how difficult the past few years have been, and I really don’t want to be mired in the what-ifs and whys anymore. I’m immensely proud of the work our team has done in welcoming in and contributing to this vibrant community we live in. We’ve put each other first every single day of Bar Norman’s life, brought humor and love to painful situations, and wrapped our arms around our patrons since we opened. I cannot think of a better way to run a business.

Bar Norman has always been about the wonderful humans who I’ve had the pleasure of working with for almost 6 years. They are the backbone and heart of the bar and I’m forever indebted to each and every one of them. As you come through over the next month, I ask you to remember all the good times you’ve had with us and allow our team to work and be with you without having to explain why the bar is closing. Tell us a story, share a memory, keep it light if you can!

Thank you, thank you for spending your time, your money, your nights off with us. Thank you for sharing your highest highs and lowest lows, knowing we would hold space for you. Thank you for trusting your palates with us, and allowing us to be spokespeople for the dedicated farmers and winemakers we’ve so happily represented. It’s been and honor and the joy of a lifetime bringing Bar Norman to life and I’ll miss it all.

With kindness and love,

Dana

Photo from opening day, July 17, 2018.

02/26/2024

it’s week, friends and we’re suuuuuper excited to be hosting the official kick-off party FRIDAY night. join us for a Slovenian-Slovakian-Czech-Croatian-Friulian takeover with winemakers and importers .slo.cro. Taste 12 wines for $35 and eat a burger while you’re at it. 6-9pm, drop on by. 🍔 🍷 🇭🇷 🇸🇮 🇸🇰 🇨🇿 🇮🇹

02/20/2024

this FRIDAY night, it’s our 4th annual Furmint Fest celebrating all things Hungary. join the gents of as they pour you a flight of 5 Hungarian Furmints and we all geek out on some of the world’s most delicious white wines. $35 to taste, just drop in. 🇭🇺

01/25/2024

we’re back on our tasting game, and the first one of the year is a real goodie! very excited to welcome our pal shaunt oungoulian of . these are among the most down-to-earth, expressive Californian wines we sell, celebrating heritage varieties and exceptional farming. WEDS 1/31 5-7pm. $20 to taste 5 wines and hang with shaunt.

01/23/2024

we’re back, and while we really missed y’all, we don’t miss the ice storm. last week was, shall we say, devastating for this tiny biz and all the others you know and love. we could really use your help getting back on our feet, so come say hi, have a glass, take a bottle home. thanks, portland. we ♥️ u!

01/09/2024

happy new year, friends! we’re back after a much needed week of quiet and reflection. while 2023 left a lot to be desired, we’re looking forward with a glass-half-full mentality. with that…we know it’s dry january/hibernation time for so many of you, but we’d LOVE to see you anyway. we have a deeeeelicious non-alcoholic hot toddy you can sip on while you tell us all about your holiday escapades. open Tues-Sat 4-10pm.

12/31/2023

so much to say about 2023 but we’ll take the week to rest and reflect. be bqck soon, friends!

12/27/2023

alright friends of BN, we have one more party in us for 2023 and it’s this Saturday. join us for the thing we do best: wine, music and hot dogs!
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we’re taking NYE off for the first time in 6 years (minus 2020, but does that even count??) but if you’re looking for great spots to ring in the new year in our neighborhood, we suggest and .
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and we’ll be CLOSED 12/31-1/8 for our annual staff break. can’t wait to see y’all 1/9/24. 😘

12/21/2023

we love the week between Christmas and New Years Eve, where the days all run together, family and friends are abundant, and we get to be gluttonous for a few more days before January goals set in. in celebration of short (or no) work days and holiday festivities we’re hosting the kind crew at for a *complimentary* tinned fish tasting! pop in Weds evening for wine and 🐟 and tins to take home.

12/17/2023

our biggest thanks to the wonderful teams at and for hosting our tiny, amazing team as we celebrated another year gone by. while we don’t have any documentation of the delicious Champagne and snacks at Heavenly, we have these lovely snaps of the madness that ensues when you order the rice table AND a Singaporean crab at Gado Gado. best enjoyed with people you love and more wetnaps than are available. 🦀

12/07/2023

could not be more excited for our 3rd annual BUBBLE FEST! come get allllllllll the bubbs, made with grapes and other fruits, next Fri 12/15.

New Wave Wine Co and Art & Science will be on hand pouring for you and Dana will be sharing some Perkins Harter beauties. DJ LaFlor will be in the loft making the tunes groove-worthy and our faves Future Days will be on the patio making pizzas all evening. just $35 for a real great party, y’all. mark your cals!

12/05/2023

hi! just here to share a couple of things:

first and foremost, many, many thanks to all of you who have continued to come see us even though summer is long gone. it’s been a very tough fall, for a multitude of reasons, and most of the small businesses you know are struggling to keep their lights on. there is an overwhelming amount of unknowing all around us and these are the times that we often hibernate as portlanders. money is tight, the world is chaotic, and it’s easier to stay home than go out. but if we want to see change, we have to keep our favorite small businesses afloat.

second, even as someone who owns a for-profit business, I have varying degrees of discomfort asking you to spend money, recognizing how there just isn’t much of it to go around these days. but, I also know that it’s the holidays, some of you are shopping, and we have things for gifting. you can give someone (or yourself) a wine club membership that starts at $53/month (you choose how many months to sign up). we have gift cards. and we have a space full of really tasty, quality wines for your holiday celebrations.

we’re open Tues-Sat from 4-10pm and available via email anytime (hello at barnorman.com). thanks y’all, hang in there, we love youuuuuu!
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11/28/2023

BRAND NEW WINES from the lovliest crew at have landed. drop in friday night to taste 5 new wines from the Shasta Alps for $25. 🏔️

11/01/2023

club norman is back, and we’re bringing it BIG with our harvest edition!

join us sat 11/11 as we turn this wine bar into a club, complete with dj’s and , wines poured by and , and patio pizza from . tasting 6 wines for $30, ($15 for winemakers and harvest workers as a thanks for getting those grapes in the door all vintage long).

party starts at 6, we plan to dance all night. bring your friends!

10/25/2023

now booking holiday shindigs of all sorts! we’re your place if your group likes quality wines, warm service, and the coziest space to celebrate the november and december holidays. we’re not a traditional event venue, but we can event with the best of ‘em!

ideal for groups of 25-60, we offer full-evening buy-outs and pricing includes wine and staffing for the entirety of your event.

we don’t have a kitchen so we can’t accommodate seated dinners, but we LOVE a good snacking spread on our beautiful family table.

for for information and availability, please email . looking forward to hosting you! 📷:

10/18/2023

our own is rolling in friday night to hang behind the bar and pour you his two brand-new never-before-bottled Cabs. say hello to cool climate Willamette Valley Cab Franc and Cab Sauv! join us 6-9pm $30 to taste 4 wines, good sounds for your ears guaranteed.

10/17/2023

here to say that we recognize there are a lot of dark, painful things going on in our country and across the world, and we see all of you and send a dose of BN love to everyone who’s grieving.
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we simultaneously see the bright, hopeful things happening, giving us a needed boost of joy. have you heard? two brand-new women-owned bars are opening on Clinton Street! get excited for Libre (desserts and snacks by the divine and mezcal-forward drinks) and Bakers (your new fave hangout for delish bar food and fun cocktails), both opening imminently.
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on that note, our little stretch of Clinton is FULL of women-owned businesses…Potted in Portland! Bar Norman! Josephine’s Dry Goods! Libre! Cookshop! Paper Epiphanies! Baker’s! Lucky Horseshoe Lounge! Clinton Street Theater! Pinwheels Resale! (who did I miss?) thank you for supporting us and finding joy in what we do, even when times are tough. we love you, Portland. ♥️

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09/27/2023

we’re verrrry excited that is BACK, and even more excited to host the kick-off party at BN on 10/13. come hang with the wonderfully talented participants and other Roux attendees, plus snack on food from and get yourself a chainstitch embroidery treat from . we’ll be pouring some fab women and queer-made wines and we hope to celebrate this special portland-born event with you!

HEADS UP: this is a ticketed event…link in bio to snag yours (free with any other Roux ticket or $5 otherwise!). 🥕

09/22/2023

so much reminiscing about the amazing summer of 2023! we’ve got a gorgeous weekend ahead before the weather turns, so we hope to see you for patio hangs and sidewalk bottles. nalani and dana fri night, jasmine and nalani sat night, kylee and jasmine sunday night. come say hi! ☀️

09/12/2023

the Clinton Street fair is back and we’ll be open 11-4 on saturday slinging afternoon wine and BURGERS with our soon-to-be new neighbs . stop by for a glass, a 🍔, some good people watching, and welcome Kelly to Clinton Street. (NOTE: we’ll be closed after 4pm for a private event)

09/11/2023

an enormous thanks and internet hug to everyone who came to the bar this summer! your kindness and support have been so fortifying as we’ve continued to crawl back from the pandemic. we had so many fun parties, delicious pop-ups, and friends pouring their wines, and we couldn’t have done any of that without YOU! this work is a joy and we’re looking forward to fall and winter on Clinton Street. ♥️

09/11/2023

a huge thank you to everyone who supported the bar this summer! we had so many fun events, busy nights, and loved seeing each and every one of your faces. as a *really* small biz, we appreciate the time and dollars you spend at Bar Norman. this place is a joy and we couldn’t do it without YOU! ♥️