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The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Estimates Oregon Lost 1,185 Restaurants in 2020
The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association says the state has lost more than 1,000 food service businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In a blog post, ORLA director of government affairs Greg Astley says the group used data from marketing consulting group CHD Expert and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to gauge how many Oregon restaurants, bars, and cafes have permanently closed in 2020 and 2021; by their estimates, 1,185 restaurants closed in 2020, while more than 200 have closed in the first few months of 2021. The group estimates that 770 restaurants opened in 2020, which would make the net loss 415 food and drink businesses. Factoring in the closures and openings in 2021, the ORLA estimates the net loss to be “600 to 800 permanent closures of restaurants across Oregon.”
All of that being said, it’s still unclear what the full loss will look like once the dust settles. Some restaurants are still on indefinite hiatus, which could mean they close permanently or reopen. Others have not made any sort of public indication whether they have closed permanently or temporarily, leaving their shops vacant with little to no information for customers; generally, it’s because the restaurant owners aren’t sure themselves. Some restaurants have closed in their current locations but plan to reopen in a new location down the line; there’s a possibility those businesses just close altogether instead. For now, however, this evaluation from the ORLA is a grim read on the current state of affairs. [ORLA, PBJ]
In Other News...
• Good news, picnic fans: Oregon is opening up more of its group sites and day-use areas. [WWeek]
• Trail Blazer Carmelo Anthony is on the cover of Wine Spectator. [O]
• Oregon City Brewing is opening a beer garden and food cart pod. [WWeek]
• A former Le Pigeon chef has started an Instagram baking business. [PoMo]
• Whitney Burnside of 10 Barrel Brewing has been named one of Portland Business Journal’s Women of Influence. [PBJ]
