Italian Market and Restaurant Cooperativa Closes This Week

Cooperativa, the Pearl District’s destination Italian marketplace, will close on September 3. The restaurant, whose multi-use space encompasses a market, handmade pasta shop, pizzeria, cafe, and bar, announced the news on Instagram.

The market from former Irving Street Kitchen chef Sarah Schafer and general manager Anna Caporael opened the doors to its sprawling 5,000 square-foot space in September 2020, a point of the pandemic that presented great uncertainty for restaurants and bars.

“As you all know, we opened during a time when uncertainty was the only constant,” the closing statement reads. “We have faced a multitude of challenges over the past two years of being open and have fought hard to survive, and after much thought and discussion, we have decided it is time for us to take some time and step away.”

Cooperativa took inspiration from the Mercato Centrale in Florence, aiming to replicate a “gastronomic ecosystem” that flourished as a result of partnering with farmers and artisanal producers. The restaurant shifted away from a traditional restaurant model by focusing on collaboration with vendor partners and offering membership options with exclusive perks. Products from Portland heavy hitters including Pinolo Gelato, Spella Coffee, Cowbell Cheese, and the recently closed Tails & Trotters were featured at the market and restaurant.

The closure was not attributed to a specific reason, but while Schafer and Caporael are saying goodbye for now and taking time off to rest, there is hope that Cooperativa might return in the future in a different form. “It’s complex, we are tired. We need to tend to ourselves and our loved ones (and nap) before we can see where Cooperativa lives on,” the post reads. “Though our doors may be closing, know that the next time you see the name Cooperativa, it may not look the same, but it will always be a labor of love.”