PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Besaw’s will close its doors on Friday after 112 years.
The restaurant, on NW 23rd and Savier Street, is being forced out in the latest of a series of big changes in Northwest Portland.
Restaurant owner Cana Flug said in April that the property owners refused to renew their lease. Property owners at C.E. John said the two sides couldn’t agree on rental terms.
But the site is going to be redeveloped.
“I mean we’re not just seeing it in Northwest Portland but in all the neighborhoods,” said Brian Emerick of Emerick Architects, who is also the chair of the Landmark Commission.
Emerick is also the architect of a nearby project, a 4-story apartment building just a few blocks from Besaws where the Gypsy Restaurant and Lounge once operated. Other staples like Wildwood Restaurant disappeared.
Besaw’s originally opened as a beer hall in 1903 and over the years added food to the menu, making it a neighborhood favorite for lunch and dinner.
The redeveloped Besaws site will look similar to the Salt and Straw or Little Big Burger buildings the property owner also redeveloped.
The other interesting fight is brewing over Besaw’s name.
The company that owns the restaurant, Tuatara Enterprises Inc., filed a lawsuit against the developer, C.E. John Properites, who refused to renew Besaw’s lease and planned to re-open a restaurant at that spot using the name Besaw’s using different operators.