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Federal Judge Rejects Oregon Restaurants’ Bid to Halt the “Freeze” on In-Person Dining

A federal judge today rejected a challenge by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association to Gov. Kate Brown’s statewide restrictions on indoor and outdoor dining. Last week, the industry lobbying group joined the Restaurant Law Center in asking the U.S. District Court for an injunction that would halt the two-week shutdown. ORLA had said taking legal action was necessary in order to help save its members, which included some 10,000 food and beverage operators prior to the pandemic.

Oregon Public House Has Closed Its Doors for the Foreseeable Future

Winter is technically still more than three weeks away, but already another brewery has decided it won’t even try to make it through the next season. Oregon Public House announced today on its website and social media platforms that it will be closing its doors until its “board of directors determines that it will be safe and sustainable” to reopen.

Already-Struggling Restaurant Owners Are Now Facing an Added Challenge: Break-Ins and Thefts

Restaurant owners are already struggling to make it through the most recent multi-week “freeze” meant to help quell the spread of COVID-19. But now some find themselves dealing with an additional challenge: break-ins and thefts. The most recent business to fall victim is Flying Fish. Sometime between closing on Saturday, Nov. 21 and opening this morning, Nov. 22, the locks securing heaters used on the patio were cut. Now all six are gone.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Sues to Halt the Two-Week “Freeze” on In-Person Dining

Today, the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association joined the Restaurant Law Center in asking the U.S. District Court for an injunction that would halt Gov. Kate Brown’s two-week shutdown of indoor and outdoor food service. The not-for-profit organization says taking legal action is necessary in order to help save its members across the state, which include some 10,000 food and beverage establishments and about 2,000 hotels and resorts—although those numbers have now declined due to COVID-19-caused permanent closures.

The Yamhill Pub’s General Manager Is Seeking Financial Assistance Through GoFundMe to Survive the Pandemic

General manager Kevin Hill has launched a GoFundMe campaign to save the Yamhill Pub, which is struggling financially during the most recent governor-ordered restrictions on dine- and drink-in service.

New Numbers From the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Show the Pandemic Is Hitting the Hospitality Industry Harder Than All Others

Today, the agency released its 2020 Economic and Revenue Forecast, which found that revenue for food and beverage establishments is down by more than 50 percent. The state’s entire leisure and hospitality sector will have shed 50,000 jobs this year, far more than any other field.

Breweries and Bars Are Starting to Close or Move to Outdoor-Only Service During the Two-Week Pause

We’re only two days into Gov. Kate Brown’s two-week pause in nine counties, and already bars and restaurants are throwing in the towel for the duration—or strongly considering it. This evening, Von Ebert Brewing’s founder, Tom Cook, announced that he will close its two properties for the duration of the period where in-person dining has been capped at 50 people, including the staff. The move is meant to help quell the skyrocketing coronavirus caseload in Oregon, which has still managed to fare better than almost every other state in the country in keeping infection rates down.

Amid COVID Onrush, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Tells Portlanders to Stop Holding House Parties for Two Weeks

Brown also limited the capacity of indoor restaurants and barrooms to 50 people, including staff.

Where to Drink Outside in Portland This Week

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Threshold Brewing Builds Itself a Shelter From the Storms

Preparation to enclose the Montavilla neighborhood brewery’s pop-up street seating began about a month ago. Earlier in the year, once Multnomah County food and drink establishments were allowed to reopen, Szymanski hauled four picnic tables from the 750-square-foot taproom—cozy by normal standards but tiny during a pandemic—and placed them in some parking spaces along Southeast 79th Avenue.

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