República returns. It’s true! They’ve decided to open back up for daytime service, Thursday through Sunday, 11am to 2:30pm. Founder Angel Medina posted the news on his Substack:
“Quesadillas. Tacotes. Guisados. Pozole. Maybe a surprise or two along the way.
No timeline. No promises. As long as you keep showing up, we’ll keep doing it right.
Cider Bite will close. After a decade in business, Portland’s oldest cider house will close; their final day of service will be Sunday, October 19. Founder Jeff Hanneson posted about the closure on their website:
“The decision to close did not come lightly. Like many small businesses, we have faced unprecedented challenges over the past few years-from COVID restrictions, multiple break-ins, and incidents of vandalism, to dramatically rising operating costs and a significant decline in tourism and downtown foot traffic that has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our beloved city has struggled to regain its vibrancy and to overcome the barrage of negative national media coverage and public perceptions of safety. With our lease set to expire at the end of October and the landlord requiring higher rent and expenses under a long- term agreement, we were unable to secure an acceptable and sustainable extension that would allow us to continue.”
Prior to the closing they will host some special events and will be selling some of the business’s ephemera. Sorry to see them go. 1230 NW Hoyt Street, Portland
Lunar New Year 2025 in Portland starts on Wednesday January 29, when we will enter the Year of the Snake—more specifically, the Wood Snake. Here, you can read more about the qualities of this upcoming year with more insight than I could possibly give you. And, as a Monkey myself, it’s nice to read that “those born in the Years of the Rat, Monkey, Rooster, Horse and Dragon should experience good luck.”
Here are some ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Portland and surrounding areas.
Friends Share, a community space in outer southeast Portland located in a former dispensary, opened their doors on Saturday, October 12 after months of planning and work. Among the activities happening there is a Sunday pop-up called Friends Share Cà Phê—a “slow drip” social cafe inspired by Vietnamese coffee culture. Their launch is this Sunday, November 3.