A West Linn developer plans to reopen the former Trail's End Saloon in downtown Oregon City and convert its upper floor into a four-suite boutique hotel.

Aviad Tapiro, owner of Tapiro Group, a design and construction company specializing in home remodels, purchased the two-story building at 1320 Main St. in June for $655,000, according to county records.

The saloon closed in November 2025, and the 4,500-square-foot building has sat vacant since, The Oregonian reported Aug. 31.

The project would fill a gap. Downtown Oregon City has no overnight lodging along Main Street or in its core.

Tapiro's plan pairs a ground-floor bar and restaurant with hotel suites upstairs. The upstairs apartments had largely fallen into disrepair, with only one unit leased in recent years and the rest uninhabitable.

"It needs a lot of work," Tapiro told The Oregonian.

To help fund the hotel renovation, Tapiro received conditional approval for a $100,000 award through Clackamas County's Tourism Small Business & Entrepreneur Acceleration Grant Program. The one-time program is administered by the county's Office of Economic Development and funded by Transient Lodging Tax dollars allocated through the county's Office of Tourism. It offers individual awards of up to $100,000 from a $500,000 pool. Awardees must provide at least a 25% matching contribution for capital improvements.

The grant is not finalized. The county's program timeline called for funding decisions in August 2026, with final agreements and distribution in fall 2026. Applications closed June 18.

On the ground floor, Tapiro said he wants to bring back live music and dancing and is searching for an operator or business partner to run the food and beverage side. He envisions a family-friendly destination celebrating the building's history and Oregon City's role as the end of the Oregon Trail.

The building dates to the 1880s, when it housed Freytag's Grocery. Dan and Jean Montjoy purchased the property in 1992 and turned it into the Trail's End Saloon.

Tapiro hopes to reopen the bar within six months, though that timeline could move faster with the right partner.