Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, January 2024

The rare weekend post—I wanted to get this up before I forget. January 2024 on Bridgetown Bites was a good month: almost 12,000 unique visitors landed here and generated close to 16,000 page views. Here’s what you all enjoyed the most last month—the Sandy Jug got a lot of attention, in particular (it’s cool to see the before and after shots of the building further down this post).

As always, thanks for reading, sharing, and sending tips!

5. New Food Cart Pod Coming to NE Fremont

ne-fremont-44th-ave-food-cart-pod-development-portland-oregon

This morning I read an email from a Bridgetown Bites reader about a new food cart pod coming to NE Fremont Street. It will be in the old Barrett Automotive space there on the northeast corner of 44th Avenue.

Update: A new permit was set-up on February 13, 2024 with this description: “Request for dedication to be waived or contingent upon removal of existing building on NE 44th.” A “dedication” is explained on the Portland city website as so: “As part of a development permit or land use application, the landowner may be required to grant an easement to the City for public right-of-way purposes. This is often referred to as a ‘dedication.’”

4. 99 Ranch Market to Open in Mill Park’s Plaza 205

This may have been in the works for a while, but thanks to a tweet tip from Iain MacKenzie (@maccoinnich), I’ve learned that east Portland will be home to a 99 Ranch Market. It looks like it’s going to open in the old Office Max space (EDIT: not the Hometown Buffet space, as I originally suggested—big box store spaces, they all look so similar). The projected opening is Q2 of 2024, so springtime next year. Update: Things are in process! This is good news.

3. The Mule Bar Opens This Week

Late last week a Bridgetown Bites tipster reached out to inform me that The Mule Bar—the new bar opening in the old Stanich’s space on NE Fremont Street in Cully—will open their doors officially on Friday, February 2 (date updated this morning). There will be a soft opening on Wednesday, January 31. Hot dog! Update: The Mule Bar is open and has become a popular spot along this commercial strip of NE Fremont.

2. New Life at the Sandy Jug From Roseway Rambler

Over on Facebook, a neighbor posted, “Anyone know what’s happening with The Sandy Jug? For lease sign is gone and people have been coming and going.” That is certainly an intriguing observation, so I did some research and learned that indeed, new life is coming to this place from something called Roseway Rambler, Inc.

1. The Sandy Jug Tavern Opens January 29

In a bit of an unintentional “sike” move, the folks behind the Sandy Jug Tavern announced yesterday that their opening day is planned for Monday, January 29, 2024. Update: The Jug is indeed open and Portlanders—especially those in Roseway—have welcomed them with open arms.