Sadness paired with relief: Wooden Chicken Pub owner closes local sports bar

For the first time in 20 years David Alderton could attend his kid's soccer tournament recently truly stress-free.

It was three blissful days of family fun.

But the weekend couldn't have been so stress-free without the expense of his restaurant, Wooden Chicken Pub, as he had closed it weeks prior on June 30. The Wooden Chicken Pub, 12500 N.E. Sandy Blvd., had been a local favorite bar for 40 years.

Working 18-hour shifts, seven days a week, with "business in the back of his mind" at all times, took a toll on his and his family's quality of life — ultimately leading to his decision to step away from his beloved restaurant.

"I don't know if it's 100% hit me yet," Alderton said.

Sunday, June 30 was the final day the Wooden Chicken Pub would serve up its bar food among a plethora of TVs.

For once, Alderton said he needed to take care of himself, and his wife and three children, first.

"It was a very supported decision, doesn't mean they like it, because their local watering hole is closed," Alderton said of the customer's response to its closure.

Alderton said the last day, nearly the whole last week, was a blur. He wished he could've spent his time talking to the customers enjoying their last meal at their local favorite, but instead he was cooped up in the kitchen.

But as the clock neared 8 p.m., the remaining crew gathered out front and shut the sign off for one last time.

"There was a lot of tears and just sadness, and relief just on my part," Alderton said.

Between jobs, he stumbled into Wooden Chicken Pub for a bite and in time secured himself work as a bartender. From there, the opportunities slowly but surely grew, leading him to buying into the sports bar in 2001, and fully taking co-ownership in 2003.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said of the chance to go from customer to owner.

In time, he learned the sports bar, established in 1984, was rich in history, having had generations of people dining together. It was a place where couples who are now married met; where grandparents brought their grandkids to enjoy their famous fish and chips; or for San Francisco 49ers fans to share in game night camaraderie.

Many days Alderton felt grabbed by the gizzard, pushing long hours, "only a text away" from having to go into work, leaving minimal time for a life outside of his job.

"My family is number one to me, but my family got kicked to the side a lot because of this business and it takes a toll on you," he said.

Alderton dealt with immense mental, physical and financial pressures in his 28 years at Wooden Chicken Pub. Long days paired with the loss of their poker machines created an unsustainable environment for him to manage much longer.

Talk about selling the restaurant surfaced a couple of years ago as the strain on Alderton increased, but the right offer didn't come his way, so he "just kept going."

He said the last thing he ever wanted to do was tell his roughly 20 employees they didn't have jobs.

"That was the hardest thing I've ever had to," Alderton said. "That was probably the one thing that kept us going longer. I never wanted to have that conversation."

Alderton has had meetings to discuss selling the restaurant. He said a handful of people are interested in buying and continuing the Wooden Chicken Pub — with their own twists, of course.

It's clear though that the iconic tap handles lining the restaurant walls are a must keep for many of the interested buyers.

Alderton said in an ideal situation he would love to see any former employees, who would want to, working back at the restaurant if it were to reopen.

But almost even more so, he'd love to go back to where he started: as a customer.

"I want to see all (the customers) faces again, at that time I can spend more time on the other side of the bar, enjoy their company a little bit more than when I was working, and have a beer with them," Alderton said. "You know, just be a customer myself."