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As a lawyer/blogger, I get
to be a member of:
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs
Beaulieu, Georges De Latour Cabernet 1995
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, La Paulée, 2006
Woodbridge, Chardonnay
Paranga, Kir-Yianni 2005
L. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Rose 2007
Newman's Own, Cabernet 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley Merlot 2005
Monte Antico, Toscana Red 2006
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Vins Auvigne, Macon-Fuisse 2007
Vina Gormaz, Tempranillo 2007
Chandon, Brut Classic
Dom Martinho, Tinto 2005
Chateau St. Jean, Cabernet, California 2007
Kirkland, Napa Cabernet 2007
Revelry, The Reveler, 2007
Joseph Drouhin, Chablis 2006
Altos Las Hormigas, Mendoza Malbec 2008
Alodio, Ribeira Sacra Mencia 2007
Charles Smith, Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2008
Kiona, Lemberger 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley Merlot 2005
Gloria Ferrer, Sonoma Brut
Kirkland, Napa Valley Meritage 2006
Abacela, Tempranillo 2006
Woodward Canyon, Columbia Valley Red
Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio 2007
Mas Donis Barrica, Celler de Capcanes Red, 2005
Three Rivers, Merlot 2006
Raptor Ridge, Pinot Gris 2008
Lezaun, Rosado, Navarra
Lezaun, Red, Navarra
Hedges, Three Vineyards, Red Mountain 2005
Raptor Ridge, Pinot Gris 2008
Vega Sindoa, Cabernet-Tempranillo 2006
Inama, Soave Classico 2007
Alois Lageder, Lagrein Rosato 2008
Broglia, Gavi 2007
Marqués de Cáceres, Rioja Rose 2008
Spaltagna, Riserva Pinot Noir 2008
Portuga, Rose 2008
Warre's Warrior Port
Lange, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Guiraud, Le G, 2007
Falset, Garnacha Rose, Montsant 2006
Castello di Bossi, Chianti Classico 2004
Domaine Chandon, Pinot Noir, La Riviere Sonoma 2006
Brazin, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi 2006
B.R. Cohn, Silver Label Cabernet 2006
Casillero del Diablo, Cabernet 2007
Gentil Hugel, Alsace 2006
Mesoneros de Castilla, Ribero del Duero, Rosado 2008
Cor, Momentum 2007
Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio 2006
Rubico, Lacrima di Morro d'Alba 2007
Gilstrap Brothers, Reserve Merlot 2003
Conundrum 2007
Chandler Reach, 36 Red
Santa Rita, Reserve Cabernet 2005
Marietta, Old Vine Red Lot 47
L'Ecole No. 41, Recess Red 2006
Dom Martinho, Red 2004
Beaulieu, Georges Latour 1994
Caymus, Cabernet 1995
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2005
Bergevin Lane, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2005
Savigny-les-Beaune, Les Lavieres 2003
David Hill, Reserve Merlot, Rogue Valley 2006
Educated Guess, Cabernet 2006
Maquis Lien, Red 2005
Charles Smith, Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2007
David Hill, Farmhouse White
Robert Mondavi Solaire, Cabernet 2005
Castello Monaci, Liante, Salice Salentino 2006
Ricardo Santos, Malbec 2006
Quinta da Espiga, Tinto 2006
Charles Smith, Holy Cow Merlot 2006
Charles Smith, Boom Boom Syrah 2006
Charles Smith, The Honorable Pinot Gris 2007
Santa Rita, Cabernet Reserva 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2007
Gloria, Douro, Tinto 2002
Bogle, Petite Sirah Port, Clarksburg 2005
Cardwell Hill, Pinot Noir 2004
Silkwood, Red Duet Cabernet-Syrah 2004
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006, 2007
Osborne, Solaz 2004
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Reserva 2005
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill, Shiraz Cabernet 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2004
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Hannah Nicole, Red 2004
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2005
Protocolo, Red 2005
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2006
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1996
Kirkland, Roogle Shiraz 2004
Garda, Classico Chiaretto
A to Z, Oregon Pinot Gris 2005
I Giusti & Zanza, Nemorino 2006
Treana, Marsanne-Viognier, Central Coast 2005
Fife, Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
B.R. Cohn, Silver Label Cabernet 2005
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Miles run year to date: 0
At this date last year: 0
Total run in 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (13)
Wake up! Heeeeey, wake up!
Posted by Snards | April 1, 2009 8:53 PM
"Free is a very good price!"
"Wake up to a happy day!"
"Have a chip! Take a sip!"
"That's Tom Peterson's (and Gloria's Too!)"
"Free haircuts!"
Posted by Long live the Tom-isms! | April 1, 2009 8:56 PM
Dang, thanks for letting us know about the closure... I couldn't remember where I got "free is a very good price."
Posted by FlorenceShappiro | April 1, 2009 9:15 PM
Another one bites the dust. Sad for us.
Posted by mp97303 | April 1, 2009 9:16 PM
And not for the first time! Tom's's has gone bust at least once before in my lifetime.
Posted by Allan L. | April 1, 2009 9:21 PM
A decade ago, I was smitten with a girl from Southeast Portland. After six months or so, we decided to shack up. We needed to find a bed. Not having a lot of money, we decided to check out Tom Peterson's.
As we lay there testing out one of the mattresses, the man himself came over to introduce himself. I was teasing my girlfriend, telling her it wasn't really him. She knew better.
We sat up and made introductions.
"Hi," he said, "I'm Tom."
"Hey," I said, "that's my name too!"
My girlfriend introduced herself.
"I'm Amber."
Peterson took a moment. Then smiled and said...
"T&A. I like it."
After the shock wore off, we chuckled to ourselves. We knew we had a great story. But we also knew we wouldn't be buying there.
So long, Tom.
Posted by Chris Snethen | April 1, 2009 9:56 PM
I'm sorry they're gone. They were an institution - when Portland was something other than it is now. I know you can't turn back the clock, but I remember staying up later than I should as a kid, watching TV before the test pattern and the poem "High Flight" came on and invariably, there was Tom with his "wake up wake up" call.
I took an elderly friend to the Tom and Gloria store about 5 years ago, and there was the man himself, out on the sales floor complete with flat top.
You have to admire that kind of longevity in salesmanship.
Posted by nancy | April 1, 2009 10:18 PM
I can't believe there wasn't some sort of big sendoff party for the guy (and Gloria, too, if she's still around).
Posted by Jack Bog | April 1, 2009 10:23 PM
From what I understand not all Portlanders had pleasant memories of Tom Peterson. It was reported that he sweet-talked his suppliers into extending him more credit and then turned around and filed a bankruptcy.
One may think they're getting something for nothing when they stiff their creditors like that but often times the creditors find other ways to get their revenge. That may explain why Tom Petersons' had to do some major downsizing and never really recovered financially.
Posted by Britt Storkson | April 2, 2009 6:14 AM
I'm sorry to see them go. I was at a media event dinner about 15 years ago when I found myself sitting at the same table with Tom and Gloria. He had a lot of great jokes and one liners to share with the table. Later on that night he was one of the featured speakers; and kept the audience entertained with a talk of about 15 minutes done completely without notes of any kind.
I'm sort of amazed the local media did nothing about announcing the store closing - especially given the many thousands of dollars he spent on local advertising.
Posted by Dave A. | April 2, 2009 6:44 AM
Back in 1985, my freshman year at George Fox University, in one class the prof had us all go around the room, introduce ourselves, and say where we came from. One kid who'd come up from California stood up and said, "Hi, I'm Tom Peterson." He couldn't understood why all the kids from Portland started cracking up at his name.
Posted by Michelle | April 2, 2009 7:13 AM
I saw Tom and Gloria about 4 years ago, visiting with their financial advisor.
Tom looked ancient, but he still had the same smile.
We bought our first washer/dryer from Tom Peterson's store (in 1992), and it was already had the look and feel of a business on the decline.
Posted by Mister Tee | April 2, 2009 7:16 AM
Sorry to see Peterson go out of business, but actually a bit surprised that he lasted as long as he did in this city of business haters.
BTW - thanks for hooking me up with a decent Portland blog. I tend to go with Moscow on the Willamette, but either one works and does speak to the politics of Portland.
Posted by mmmarvel | April 2, 2009 10:18 AM