Where Our Story Begins
It all started on what would be the hottest day ever recorded in Portland, Oregon, in June 2021. Over frosty mugs of beer at a favorite local watering hole in Silverton, Matthew and Susan, two of the three founders of Red Clover Public House, began to discuss how the pandemic was not only was reshaping the way restaurants were operating, but that it was also forcing many people to take a hard look at their work and home life balance, leading many to pursue new careers or leave the work force entirely. Matthew, a former medical device representative, was ready to move away from the corporate world and follow in the footsteps of his parents, who were both business owners. Susan, an Oregon transplant, had been providing care to foster children for over 13 years. While continuing this path as a full time commitment, Susan was looking to branch out into a new venture after both of her sons entered adulthood.
During this conversation, Matthew and Susan noted that some restaurants were adapting to align with safety measures to remain operational and those establishments that couldn’t were closing their doors permanently. The shift, they discussed, from traditional methods of operating pubs, bars, restaurants, etc., to offering easier means for take out orders and more expansive outdoor seating was proving to be successful and welcomed by patrons everywhere. Meanwhile, food trucks and food cart pods, which were already popular in the Pacific Northwest, were booming. Matthew and Susan pondered to themselves, “what if we created an experience that combined our passion for entertaining and bringing people together, while providing great food and a carefully curated selection of brews/ciders on tap…”
The two secured a residential property within Dallas’ Central Business District and spent the next two years working to transform it into the commercial space that is now known as Red Clover Public House. And so they say, “the rest is history.”