Harvest at the Bindery Closed Permanently After Owner Dies

A tragic start to 2018 as Portland musician and restaurateur Jon Steuer (also known as Jonny P. Jewels) has died, resulting in the permanent closure of popular vegan restaurant Harvest at the Bindery.

According to Willamette Week, Steuer died on New Year’s Day, aged 33. The cause of death is not yet known.

Steuer was in the public spotlight early in his life as a child actor on TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation and Grace Under Fire. In his adult life, he was known as a musician with the band Soda Pop Kids and later, in Portland’s punk scene with P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. He made his debut on the restaurant scene when he opened vegan restaurant Harvest at the Bindery in Northeast Portland in 2015. Harvest was known for its vegetable-focused food that often skipped vegan meat substitutes like seitan or tofu in favor of creative work with vegetables, from burgers to a barbecue hash.

Soon after Steuer’s death, a message was posted to Harvest’s website announcing the permanent closure (although initially not mentioning Steuer by name):

Due to an unexpected tragedy, Harvest will be permanently closing our doors. We thank you for your support and understanding.

On Wednesday morning, details of a memorial for Steuer appeared on the site, followed by a call-out for possible buyers for the restaurant, accompanied by contact details for a local realtor.

The memorial takes place Sunday, January 7 at 1 p.m., at Harvest at the Bindery (3101 NE Sandy Boulevard).

• Harvest at the Bindery [Official]
• Portland Musician and Restaurateur Jonny P. Jewels Has Died [WWeek]
• Veg-Focused Harvest at the Bindery Now Open on NE Sandy [EPDX]