Local Sprouts

The Portland Phoenix is reports that Local Sprouts, the community supported kitchen that operates in the Public Market House, is starting to plan a new venture, a community supported cafe.

In addition to carrying over the Local Sprouts community-supported kitchen model, the café will be financed (Fertig hopes) through community-based loans and investments. Members will be able to pick up meals, but the café will also be open for the public to order off a menu; Washington and Fertig describe a space that’s available for educational programs and possibly even winter farmers’ markets and co-op retail. Could this be the community space that Portland’s social-activists have been clamoring for? Stay tuned.

Binga’s Stadium Smokehouse and Sports Bar

The Portland Daily Sun has published an article on the new joint venture between the owners of Binga’s Wingas and The Stadium.

In the new sports bar, theater steps will lead downstairs into a foyer and service bar, with a game room on one side and the banquet room on the other, Altman explained.

“Upstairs, we’re going to have an a la carte restaurant with 175 seats, and downstairs we’re going to have a banquet room available for all kinds of stuff,” he said.

With just under 300-person capacity, the banquet room will serve as a multi-use room intended for diverse uses, including charity functions, Altman said.

Brown Paper

The windows of 83 Exchange Street are covered in brown paper, and it looks like a new restaurant is already being planned for the former O’Naturals space. Given the prime location in the heart of the Old Port, it’s no surprise that it hasn’t remained vacant for long.