Lake Oswego entertainment venue rebrands, hopes to attract younger crowd

Under new ownership, the former At the Garages entertainment venue in Lake Oswego is undergoing a makeover.

New owners Todd and Shawn have renamed the venue The Headliners Club and plan to liven up the place to attract a broader range of people.

“We want it to be a good experience in the food and drink they have, the music they listen to and the overall time they have while they are here,” Todd said.

Shawn and Todd own a variety of businesses, including the nearby Aloha Grill, and developed an interest in purchasing the venue after visiting it.

“Shawn and I, our families have always had a love for music. We go to concerts all the time. We go to local venues all the time,” he said.

At The Garages opened in 2022 and hosted concerts there every night with a particular focus on jazz. Todd said the venue on Southwest McEwan Road was the best in the area, but underutilized.

The new owners hired a new staff, performed renovations and cleaned up the space. They plan to offer music Thursdays through Saturdays rather than every night. Instead of quantity, Todd said The Headliners Club will offer quality acts on marquee nights.

“We’re trying to bring bigger bands in. That’s why we have the name ‘Headliners,’” he said.

The owners plan to color one of the walls with guitarists and albums from famous musicians, hoping to emulate aspects of The Hard Rock Cafe. They also have simplified the menu and have expanded hours so that people can come for lunch or happy hour.

They also said to expect bands ranging from rock ‘n roll to reggae and that they want acts that will invigorate the crowd. Hit Machine, which plays hits from different eras, played at the rebranded venue’s opening night.

“They get the crowd engaged and they have fun. The crowd was excited and had fun that night,” Todd said.

Todd added to expect louder music than what was played previously and that they hope to attract younger people to visit.

“We’re not going to please everybody, but we’re trying to mix the genres enough to get a gamut of people here,” he said.

Pickleball will continue to be played at the venue and pool tables are also available. The new owners may add cornhole.