Burney Garelick
Photos by: Vicki Grayland

Entering Yachats north-bound on Highway 101. You're not likely to notice an unassuming two-story buildig on your right. And why should you? It doesn't advertise itself; only a sign suggest a store. But it is a landmark none the less. Officially it is the Drift Inn Tavern. But the sign fell off years ago, and it seemed unnecessary to spend money for new one when everyone knew it as Lester's place.

Lester Blair At 84 Your Host At The Bar

"Lesters Most Famous Quote" Lester Blair--"that's Scottish Irish, German and English as he describes his origins--is 84 years old and has owned the Yachats tavern for 28 years. ~~~ Lester's place on Highway 101 in Yachats ~~~ [ 1968 to 1998 ] He opens at 5:30 p.m. every evening and stays open as long as there are customers sometimes until legal closing time around 2 a.m. He is the sole bartender. He serves only beer and wine and never had interest in owning a "liquor bar" that sells hard liquor. The fare is modest-- Hamms, Blitz, Pabst,Bud, Coors, Rainner, a few micro-brews, red and white wine. The prices are a bargain--$1 for any can or bottle, except microbrews which go for $1.75, and 50 cents for glass of Blitz. The ambience is low-key, a bar with stools on three sides, a few tables, a pool table, beer signs on the walls, a bulletin-message board, an ancient cash register, and Lester, a generous, amiable, sel-effacing, industrious gentleman. When he is not in the tavern, Lester is in his apartment above it. He rarely goes anywhere else. He hasbeen to the river across the highway once, but he's never been to the ocean. Why should he ? "I ve got the best view upstairs," he says. He owns a red 1974 Mercury Comet and occasionally drives it to Newport for supplies or to visit his only living brother in Long Beach Washington, across the Columbia River from Astoria. Lester says the tread on the tires is like new. His needs and wants are few. Since he retired from the Alsea Veneer plant he has received Social Security, but he's put it all into money markets. He could retire from the tavern, but there's no place he wants to go and nothing he wants to buy. And he is always busy, fixing a washing machine, painting, reparing something or maintaining his spacious apartment, which he renovated when he bought the tavern. ~~~ To what dose he owe his good fortune? ~~~ "I never smoked, drank or chewed. I was too busy working!" he says." Lester Blair never became a Texas cowboy, But he is a western legend, a tavern and host, serving the public and pleasing himself. There are fancier bars on the Oregon Coast. The Drift In Tavern in Yachats is "a clean, Well- lighted place."a port in the storm of life, and Lester is its anchor. To take part in the formation of the column, E-Mail your thoughts to me at yarick@pioneer.net url of this page -- Revised: 1/11/1996 Design By: System Development & InterNet Marketing larpear@trillian.com