Welcome to the Portland Zoo, where the only animals are jubilant Liverpool supporters, dejected Chelsea fans, and delusional Arsenal enthusiasts. Located at 41 Fox Street, the Portland Zoo opened in 2018 as a small bar with a laid back vibe and a funky soundtrack. Today it is one of Portland’s premier beer gardens, a hotspot for local musicians and DJs, and a top 100 soccer bar in the country. Though not in its initial plans, the Portland Zoo has become the go to bar for fans of Premier League soccer on weekend mornings. 

“I wanted the community to have somewhere to go in the mornings,” says Matthew Ayres, a man who is synonymous with the Portland Zoo experience. 

After speaking with Ayres, it turns out that he is more than just the outgoing bartender who the regulars call Big Bird. He’s the man that brought the Premier League to Portland. “I had been pitching bars around town for years trying to get them to open for soccer, and none of them said yes.” When a friend of his hosted a soccer themed bachelor party at the newly opened Portland Zoo, Ayres immediately noticed an opportunity. “It makes perfect sense, They’re the exact type of place that has a small enough situation where they might say yes.” Ayres was motivated enough to ditch his informal pitching style, and pull out all the stops. He gathered five crayola markers and a drawing pad, and outlined the logistics of his plan for the two owners. The Portland Zoo opened in October 2018, and by the start of January, they were showing Premier League soccer.  

“It didn’t happen overnight,” Ayres says as he reflects on early days of the bar, “It takes a lot to get somebody off the comfortability of their couch.” There were days when nobody showed, but as it always seems to do, the community stepped up. “It snowballs. The more people coming in, the more fans want to be around for it,” says Ayres. And snowball it did, to the point where 100 Liverpool supporters are showing up to watch their team win the league. 

The Portland Zoo’s success did not go unnoticed in the city, with several bars now open early for soccer. Still, The Zoo remains Portland’s standout soccer bar, and was recently named one of the nation’s top 100 soccer bars by Men In Blazers, the largest soccer-focused media company in the country. Whether it’s the outdoor seating, the bright and vibrant atmosphere or the Nigerian Barbeque served up on summer days, there is something about the Portland Zoo that continues to draw large crowds on weekend mornings. Ayers is quick to credit the bar’s casual nature.  

“So much of Portland is catering to the Boston, New York crowd. They want a clean cut, modern vibe, and that’s for better or for worse, but you’re losing a lot of the classic edginess that is Maine’s original ethos. You think fishermen, you think carpenters, no frills, that’s the zoo through and through. People are standing outside in the middle of February, and it’s 25 degrees out, and they’re watching the game because they want to, not because they have to” 

With the Hearts of Pine coming to town, soccer has never been a hotter topic in Portland. The Portland Zoo hosted many informal meetings that led to the USL1 team’s development, and is now one of the club’s official beer sponsors. Portland is becoming a true soccer city, and that’s largely thanks to the Zoo. So whether you are looking for good soccer, good drinks, or just plain old good vibes, head on over to Fox street, and look for the little blue house on a hill. Inside you will find all three.