Their idea was simple: create a warm and welcoming bar and diner serving seasonal Pacific Northwest dishes alongside inventive cocktails. In 2013, Singer, along with co-owners Wendy Hessel and Lori Singer, made that vision a reality when they opened the doors to Fireside. When the record store moved on, Dick Singer, the building’s owner, envisioned continuing the tradition of community on this corner. Through the decades, our beloved building evolved, housing various small businesses, including a locally owned record store that drew music lovers from the neighborhood. NW 23rd was home to quaint drug stores, shoe repair shops, diners, and hardware stores. Our one-story Mediterranean style building began as a neighborhood grocery store. More than just bricks and mortar, a place where people gather together. Small businesses, local charm, and Fireside’s iconic building nestled at the corner of NW 23rd and Johnson Street. Let’s go back to the 1920s in NW Portland.