Portland’s iconic coffee shop is closing after 22 years

PORTLAND Hours. (KPTV) – After more than two decades, a classic Portland coffee shop is closing its doors for good.

Jim & Patty’s Coffee has served their last cup of joe.

“I wanted to go out with a sense of celebration, not just ‘oh, poor us,'” Patty Roberts said as she worked on one last documentary at the local chain’s flagship location in Beaverton Monday morning.

Many people showed up for the celebration, with the line going out the door and around the corner.

“The first thing I said when I saw that was, ‘Gosh, I hope we have some food by the time you get up there,'” Patty said jokingly.

22 years ago on November 11, 2002, Jim and Patty Roberts opened their first location in NE Portland’s Fremont neighborhood. A few years later, they added their second location in Beaverton.

“It kind of came out of Jim’s love of coffee,” Patty explained. “We got married when we were basically teenagers, but even then he was shopping for the best coffee you could find.”

SEE ALSO:

Chop-Chop Food Pod opened in the Centennial neighborhood on SE Powell Boulevard over the weekend.

But in recent years, Jim became ill.

“I was close, full-time, taking care of him for a few years,” Patty said. “So I couldn’t pay attention to the business. Luckily, I had a really good operations manager… I just had to pay the bills, she took care of the other stuff.”

Jim passed away on July 17, 2023. A little over a year later, Patty decided it was time to close the store.

“I saw it coming, I knew we couldn’t make ends meet and things would have to close, but November 11 is our anniversary – so I thought it would be a good day to call it quits,” she. said.

The customers are sad to see them go, but Patty takes the time to say goodbye.

“I’m just talking to people and thanking them for coming and I see old employees saying, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Andrew!’ So it’s a lot of fun,” Patty said.

After many bittersweet goodbyes and congratulations, she says she’s now preparing for what’s to come.

“I’m facing some financial challenges, all my kids work for me, so they all have to find a job, I have to find a job,” she said. “So we’re just trying to buckle down and make it work as best we can.”

SEE ALSO:

The “Santa clones” that mysteriously appeared in Portland during the holiday season are almost back for their 14th year.

She has a message for anyone who has jobs available.

“We have an amazing team of people, so if anyone needs a good employee, they should look at one of ours,” she said. “They are a wonderful group of people.”

The Fremont and Beaverton locations will be closed for good at the end of the day Monday.

However, Jim & Patty’s in Portland’s Forest Heights neighborhood, which is owned by a separate company, will remain open.

Fans of the chain can still get Jim & Patty’s staples, like their famous “Pig Newtons,” at that location.