Grape Ape Natural Wines Coming This Spring

As a person of a certain age, when I see the words “Grape Ape,” it catches my eye. And while this two-word phrase has been used in other Oregon-based contexts, the Grape Ape of this post is a new natural wine bar and shop with a projected opening in SE Portland of later this spring.

The most famous Grape Ape, is, of course, The Great Grape Ape, “a 40-foot purple gorilla with the mind of a child.” He was on TV in the 1970s, in a cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera. It’s almost impossible to not hear “Grape Ape, Grape Ape”—two iterations of the name—in my mind’s ear, which was TGGA’s catchphrase. You may also know Grape Ape as a Voodoo Doughnut, and did you also know that the OLCC has forbidden naming any cannabis strains “Grape Ape”? (Other growers outside of Oregon can still use that name.)

But donuts and weed are not the focus here, it’s natural wine—and grub. The person behind this new business is Morgan Schick, who is also behind Portland-based There There Co., a “creative firm for the hospitality industry.” They also designed Grape Ape’s logo. Morgan has also been involved with philanthropic efforts at Tales of the Cocktail.

Grape Ape will open its doors in SE Portland in a building right off the east end of the Morrison Bridge, 77 SE Yamhill. That where Kure Juice Bar was; Cargo, one of my favorite shops, is also in that building. There’s a lot of great stuff in that general Central Eastside area: Shalom Y’all, Clark Lewis, Boke Bowl, Water Avenue Coffee. Grape Ape will be in good company.

Best of luck to Morgan and his crew as they work toward opening in the spring.

Grape Ape [projected opening spring 2023]
77 SE Yamhill Street, Portland
grapeape.wine | Instagram

This post was updated on January 31, 2023