Collage by Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

In the Portland restaurant world, hot new eateries come and go, victims of the ever-changing whims of diners. The list of beloved dining spots that have faded into the history books is long.

Then there are venerable places that continue to thrive, giving generations of customers exactly what they want, never bowing to of-the-moment food trends like foams and emulsions. Places like RingSide, Huber's and Sayler's are defined by their staying power, not fashion.

Portland's Old Spaghetti Factory, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, is part of that club. The South Waterfront noodle emporium, which has expanded over the years to more than 40 locations in 13 states, is known for its old-timey décor, its three-course meal deals, and spaghetti bathed in browned butter with Greek Mizithra cheese.

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

It continues to be a popular spot for family dinners, birthday celebrations, and springtime parades of high-school prom couples.

To celebrate The Old Spaghetti Factory's golden anniversary, here's a look back at its start in 1969, and how it's grown since then.

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It all began in Old Town

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Wes Guderian, The Oregonian

The original Old Spaghetti Factory opened on Jan. 10, 1969, in the historic three-story Carriage and Baggage building at Southwest Second Avenue and Pine Street (now the home of the Pine Street Market dining hall). Guss Dussin and his brother-in-law Mike Poulos put their experience running restaurants like Virginia Café and Iron Horse into play.

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Guss and Sally Dussin, overseeing remodeling of the original Old Spaghetti Factory. (Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory)

The family originally budgeted $35,000 in improvements to transform the building from offices of a logging company into an attractive dining spot. But they told The Oregonian in 1970 that opening costs eventually ran in the range of $150,000.

"My father always told me, never cry when you lose money in the business," Guss Dussin said.

If anyone was crying, it wouldn't be for long.

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Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory

The initial menu was inspired by dishes from the Dussin family's home kitchen, particularly a meaty spaghetti sauce.

"We put together a menu, whipped up some sauce, and decided to give it a try," Poulos told The Oregonian in 1970.

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Guss Dussin, overseeing things in the kitchen in 1970. (Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory)

When the restaurant opened, the national economy was struggling. Tight times meant diners were hungry for bargains. At Old Spaghetti Factory, patrons could get a lot for under $2: a green salad, sour dough bread, a massive plate of spaghetti, and a beverage, followed by a scoop of Spumoni ice cream.

The spaghetti came with a variety of sauces, including a Neopolitan meat sauce that's still on the menu, along with others that have faded as diners' tastes have changed (chicken liver sauce). For an additional dollar, you could get a veal cutlet or a slice of beef tenderloin.

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Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory

"People still want to go out," Dussin told The Oregonian. "They can still find the Spaghetti Factory within pocketbook range.

"How many times can a fella take out the whole family, feel like he has been somewhere special, and come out with a cost of $2 a head?"

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Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory

One of the standout features of the original restaurant was a restored trolley car that diners could eat in. The old streetcar, which was found in a field near Reed College and cost just $50, was restored and outfitted with tables to accommodate about 18 diners. The trolley tables were such a hit that streetcars became a design focal point of future locations.

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Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory

The original trolley car cost more than $4,000 to restore, which was a significant amount of money in 1969. But it proved money well spent. Tables in the restored trolley were always the first to get filled by hungry diners.

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Guss Dussin serves customers in 1969, not long after the original Old Spaghetti Factory opened in Old Town. (The Oregonian file photo)

If you couldn't score a table in the streetcar, you could sit in booths made out of recycled iron bed frames, an idea of Sally Dussin, Guss' wife and mother of Chris Dussin, who is chairman of the company today.

"The first one was in the original restaurants, and its popularity makes them a fixture in all our restaurants," Chris Dussin says. "Mom and dad had a deal: He took care of the food and kitchen side of the restaurant, and she handled the design."

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Sally Dussin, now 90, continues to play a role in shaping the restaurant's atmosphere, keeping an eye out for Tiffany-style lamps, cut-glass chandeliers, and wood paneling, which gave the dining rooms a warm feeling.

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The move to a no-man's land

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Guss Dussin oversees construction of the new Old Spaghetti Factory in 1983. The flagship restaurant opened the following year. (Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory)

In 1984, the Dussins moved the restaurant out of downtown to the South Waterfront, which was anything like the current neighborhood of high-rise condos, ballet studios and Portland's aerial tram.

In the 1980s, the area was still home to gritty former shipyards, where barges were built and ships dismantled. John's Landing, just to the south, was booming at the time, and it was hoped that the Old Spaghetti Factory's arrival might help bridge the gap between that neighborhood and downtown.

It would take decades -- and the massive redevelopment of the South Waterfront district -- for that bridge to happen. But loyal customers sought out the restaurant in its new location.

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

The 26,000-square-foot building featured 15,00-square-feet of dining room spread over two floors, as well as the company's corporate offices, where the Dussins would see the chain grow to include outposts as far away as Hamburg, Germany, and two locations in Japan, though now the 42 locations are all within the United States, spanning from Louisville, Kentucky, to Honolulu.

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Guss Dussin shows off a plate of spaghetti at the South Waterfront restaurant in 1990. (Bob Ellis, The Oregonian)

Design elements from the original restaurant, including the first streetcar, made the leap to the posh waterfront building.

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Guss and Sally Dussin, in Greece during the early 1970s, where they sourced their Mizithra Cheese. (Photo courtesy of The Old Spaghetti Factory)

Fifty years add up to a lot of pasta. Here are some fun Old Spaghetti Factory anniversary stats, provided by the restaurant:

Feet of spaghetti served: 10,394,729,409 (enough to travel to the moon and back more than four times)

Pounds of Mizithra cheese: 22,159,302

Scoops of Spumoni ice cream: 142,073,454

Loaves of baked bread: 79,953,869

Tiffany-style chandeliers: 338

Trolley car dining rooms: 40

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The Old Spaghetti Factory's founder Guss Dussin, in the restaurant in 1994. (James Rexvoal, The Oregonian)

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Benjamin Brink, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

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Arkasha Stevenson, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Do you have a favorite memory about dining at The Old Spaghetti Factory? Did you and your family go to the original Old Town location when you were growing up? We'd love to hear your favorite recollections in the comments section of this story.

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More Portland dining and nightlife history

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Collage by Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

If you're hungry for more on the history of Portland restaurants and nightlife, you're in luck:

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-- Grant Butler

gbutler@oregonian.com

503-221-8566; @grantbutler

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