The Heist Food Cart Pod to Open in Woodstock This Spring

Photo credit: The Heist

A new food cart pod named The Heist is slated to open up in the Woodstock neighborhood this spring. It will be located at the former US Bank branch site and offer outdoor and indoor options.

The name “The Heist” has everything to do with the fact that the project involves taking over an old bank. Fun fact: there was actually a bank heist in 2010 there, adding to the mystique.

Currently, the project is under construction and they broke ground last month. The bank branch building interior will be used, offering indoor seating and a bar. There may be a couple vendors inside but they won’t be restaurants. The outdoor area, which will include seating (some of it covered), will have a capacity for up to 21 carts, according to the Woodstock Neighborhood Association. That said, my understanding is that 18 regular carts is more likely, with a few additional ones coming and going on a temporary basis. You can see an artist rendering of the the plan for the space above.

Here’s what it looked like before construction started:

Photo credit: Google Maps

Changes and improvements to the property include installing utilities (e.g., water, gas), as well as what you can see in the image at the top of the page: new landscaping, a seating area, toilet facilities, and a trash enclosure. As recent as summer 2022 there was homeless camping along the north side of the building, according to city reports. This is going to be a big change for the neighborhood. US Bank closed this location in late 2020.

I chatted with one of the persons behind the project, Michael Shall, who has a background selling commercial real estate, including apartments and land for development. He has had some experience with renovating food cart pods (he and a partner were involved with the cosmetic remodel on the Carts on Foster), so this project in Woodstock is a good fit.

Michael and his partner liked the idea of bringing a food cart pod to Woodstock—they had had a great time working on the Carts on Foster—and then the US Bank building became available. They knew this would be a great opportunity since it had a parking lot and a building.

He said, “This particular property hit the market and we were in competition with apartment developers, but again, because of the building and parking lot, it worked well for what we were seeking. We were really excited about it. Never intended to buy a bank but it just worked out that way. Sometimes you go with the flow.”

I asked Michael what he thinks will set this pod apart from others. “We have a large building with indoor seating, so that sets us apart from a lot of the other Pods in Portland,” he explained. “Where we will be really different is that we didn’t want to be just another parking lot with trucks on it. We really want to create an experience for people.”

He continued, “We will be having a lot of fun with art and our theme, which is related to the bank. We are keeping the vault inside and have some really fun surprises planned. We want things that people have never seen before.”

At this point they are currently working with vendors to sign people up and have a handful on board. The Heist is looking at an April/May 2023 opening.

The Heist food carts [opening spring 2023]
4727 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland
Instagram