Gypsy Restaurant and Velvet Lounge | |
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![]() The restaurant's exterior in 2014, shortly after closing | |
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Restaurant information | |
Established | 1947 |
Closed | February 20, 2014 |
Previous owner(s) | Stacy Gurganus (c. 1973); Gertrude "Tiny" Hursick (c. 1987); John Hursick (c. early 1990s); Concept Entertainment (1992–2014) |
Street address | 625 Northwest 21st Avenue |
City | Portland |
County | Multnomah |
State | Oregon |
Postal/ZIP Code | 97209 |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 45°31′39″N 122°41′41″W / 45.52756°N 122.69468°W |
Reservations | No |
The Gypsy Restaurant and Velvet Lounge was a restaurant and nightclub established in 1947 and located along Northwest 21st Avenue in the Northwest District neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, in the United States. Popular with young adults, the restaurant was known for serving fishbowl alcoholic beverages, for its 1950s furnishings, and for hosting karaoke, trivia competitions, and goldfish racing tournaments. The restaurant is said to have influenced local alcohol policies; noise complaints and signs of drunken behavior by patrons made the business a target for curfews and closure. Concept Entertainment owned the restaurant from 1992 until 2014 when it was closed unexpectedly.