FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT:

Shelley Olvera
Owner
Cascade Locks Ale House
541.645.4307
smolvera81@aol.com

Genevieve Scholl
Deputy Executive Director
541.374.2401
gscholl@portofcascadelocks.org

CASCADE LOCKS, OR – The Cascade Locks Ale House has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program, a program presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. The historic building, located in the city’s downtown core, was originally constructed at the turn of the last century for worker housing for the construction of the historic locks and canal. The tavern was serving timber workers in the early 1900’s when it was called Fort Badder Saloon and has always been a home to the rougher side of life in the west. At one time, the tavern’s two upper floors housed a brothel, and in better times it was a lively destination as the Lakeside Tavern & Hotel and later as Suzie’s Suds Locker.

Now owned by Shelley Olvera, the tavern serves up traditional pub fare (and her much coveted secret recipe horseradish sauce) to Pacific Crest Trail through-hikers, road and highway workers, wildland firefighters, residents and visitors from around the world.

This funding will support the restoration of the cedar shakes and replacement of the windows on the WaNaPa and Regulator Street facades, and Olvera is planning other projects on the building’s exterior and interior spaces to bring this historic building back to full use. “I am over the moon and so grateful to have received this funding to be able to show this building the love it deserves,” said Olvera. “This building occupies an important place in the city’s history, and a really important, visible corner downtown. I am so grateful to the Trust and American Express for recognizing that and offering this support.”

Cascade Locks Ale House is one of 50 historic small restaurants across the country to receive a grant. “This funding will polish the gem that is the Cascade Locks Ale House and help our whole downtown area shine,” said Jeremiah Blue, Port of Cascade Locks Executive Director. “It’s so exciting to see Shelley’s vision of restoring the historic building while maintaining its special vibe.”

The Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program significantly expanded its reach this year, doubling the number of grantees, including in 13 new states, and increasing the total grant funding to $2.5 million, up from $1 million in prior years.

In its fourth year, the program now has reached nearly 125 historic small restaurants in every U.S. state, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. American Express launched the Backing Historic Small Restaurants program in 2021 in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to support historic and culturally significant restaurants during the pandemic. The program has since expanded its in scale and financial support to continue helping independently owned small restaurants serve their local communities for years to come.

“Small restaurants are vital to our communities, and their impact perseveres, as they continue to innovate and make their neighborhoods more vibrant and connected,” said Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Sustainability at American Express. “This year’s grantees represent the rich traditions and iconic stories of communities across the U.S. I’m so proud that we’re able to help them grow and continue to build their legacy.” “Over the course of four years, our partnership with American Express has supported more than one hundred small, independent restaurants across the country, each with a distinctive history, representing a wide array of cuisines,” said Carol Quillen. CEO of the National Trust. “Equally important is what these restaurants share. They are beloved gathering places in their neighborhoods. In many cases, they have been run for generations by the same family. Empowering small businesses that hold decades of stories is one powerful way that preservation strengthens local economies as it serves local communities.”

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which administers the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program, selected this year’s grantees from a group of restaurants that operate in historic buildings or neighborhoods and provide cultural significance to their communities through their history, cuisine, and locations. Many of the 2024 grant recipients include establishments that are family owned or have been operating for generations.

To see the full list and learn more about this year’s Backing Historic Small Restaurants grantees, please visit https://savingplaces.org/historicrestaurants.

Backing Historic Small Restaurants is part of American Express’ “Backing Small” initiative, focused on providing financial support and resources to help small businesses address critical needs. Following the success of Backing Historic Small Restaurants, American Express extended the program globally in 2022 with the launch of “Backing International Small Restaurants”, which has reached nine cities in five countries around the world to date. American Express has a long history of supporting small businesses, including through its Shop Small movement and Small Business Saturday, which will celebrate its fifteenth year this fall. Learn more about the valuable ways American Express helps restaurant owners run and grow their businesses, here https://onecmssl.americanexpress.com/enus/business/merchant/support/dining/index.html.

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Photo attached: Shelley Olvera, Cascade Locks Ale House. Photo credit: Port of Cascade Locks

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, X.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products, services and corporate sustainability information: personal cards, business cards and services, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, Business Blueprint, Resy, corporate card, business travel, diversity and inclusion, corporate sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance reports.

In addition to funds provided through the Backing Historic Small Restaurants program, American Express has provided more than $30 million to preserve historic places in the U.S. through its partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation since 1993.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic sites, tell the full American story, build stronger communities, and invest in preservation's future. SavingPlaces.org | @savingplaces

National Media Contacts

Jessica Defilippo: Jessica.N.Defilippo@aexp.com

Elliot Carter: ecarter@savingplaces.org