PORTLAND, Ore. -- There has been a lot of change in the Sellwood neighborhood.
'West Moreland was made up of small shops. Sellwood was all small businesses,” said Penguin Pub and Eatery Owner DeAnn Charpentier.
The Penguin Pub is one of the oldest holdouts in the area. It stood as the Penguin Tavern in the 1930s. But now the owners say the landlord is selling the property.
“Seem like bars and restaurants are being targeted in this city,” said Charpentier.
She took over the bar 44 years ago. For decades she and her husband have run the place. For the last five years it has just been the two of them.
“We work double shifts, the days are 18 hours from leaving the house and getting home.”
It hasn't always been easy, but there have been good times.
“You couldn't get in the door some nights. People walked on the bench to get to the bathroom it was so packed.”
Charpentier says the pub is like a second home and the people who visit are more than customers.
“They become part of your life,” she said. “You look forward to seeing them.”
She says the walls have a lot of memories. Over a dozen regulars ended up getting married after meeting there.
“And they are still together. Most of them,” Charpentier chuckled. “Yeah, most of them.”
People had a feeling this was coming.
“Everybody has been wondering because of all the building around," Charpentier said.
On Thursday, they broke the news.
Charpentier says they were put on a month-to-month lease and told they will probably have to be out by June. She says they'll stay open as long as they can.
“Until then, we are not going to give up," she said.
KGW reached out to the landlord but did not hear back.