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Following months of pandemic pivots after a partial opening last summer, Italian-style marketplace Cooperativa is now preparing to allow the public full access to its sprawling food hall.
Beginning Saturday, Aug. 14, guests can visit the Pearl District property’s five eateries, which include a cafe, sandwich shop, pastaria-pizzeria, gelato outlet and bar. Hours of operation for the market are also expanding to 7:30 am to 9 pm Wednesday through Saturday. In the coming months, the business hopes to expand operations to Mondays and Tuesdays, as well.
Chef Sarah Schafer and Anna Caporael—both formerly of Irving Street Kitchen, which permanently closed last year because of the outbreak—launched Cooperativa last summer. Located on the ground floor of the Tanner Point building on Northwest 9th Avenue near Overton street, the 5,000-square-foot marketplace was a bold undertaking even before COVID-19 hit.
Despite the pandemic lockdown in spring 2020, Cooperativa only pushed its opening date back by a few months. Up until this coming weekend, guests were encouraged to place orders online, where they could select pickup times for items like imported sundries from Real Good Food, direct-from-farm produce and pints of gelato.
In the meantime, Schafer and Caporael focused on expanding outdoor seating to wrap around the block and stringent COVID sanitizing practices.
This weekend’s official grand opening not only marks the start of indoor seating, it also doubles as an anniversary celebration. You can expect a dozen vendors onsite, offering everything from a “Tomato Wonderland” from Portland Seedhouse to a sausage bundle giveaway provided courtesy of Tails & Trotters.
Booths will be set up for tastings and activities from noon to 5 pm on Saturday, Aug. 14. A percentage of sales during the celebration will go toward two nonprofits that provide assistance to local houseless individuals: Stone Soup and p:ear.
