Down to the dregs

The wine shop in the old Brasserie Montmarte space is calling it quits. 

While Thompson and Gibson are hopeful the city will bounce back, they weren’t prepared to wait for it to happen.

“We’ve been waiting with bated breath to feel the life come back to downtown Portland. We held on through tumult and variants, but ultimately for us, it was the feeling that downtown’s rejuvenation was much further away than just around the corner,” Gibson said.

They're staying in the wine business, though − in Hillsboro.

Downtown Portland has turned the clock back to something like 1973, and it's still moving backward at a rapid clip. I see Kassab Jewelers has reopened, albeit all covered up with particle board. I wouldn't want to be them when the next black-bloc riot breaks out. Which seems like it could be any night. Maybe 43 days from now, when the grownups speak at the primary elections. At the latest.