The Pono Bowl food cart was off Pacific Boulevard, at 802 S.E. Seventh Ave., on Sept. 22. It is there most Sundays.
Sandwiched between Pacific Boulevard and Seventh Avenue in Albany, there is a lot that is partially paved but usually vacant. On a recent Sunday I saw a food cart there, so I stopped the bike for a closer look.
It was a rewarding stop, not only because the smoothie I bought was excellent but also because I learned something: This food-cart business, Pono Bowl Co., intends to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant on the often forgotten east side of downtown.
“We’re awaiting permits after 15 months of efforts toward making the project happen,” Pono Bowl owner Kacie Harvey told me when I checked with her via email. “We signed a lease in June. This is after almost five years operating our mobile cart all over our community and neighboring towns.”
On Aug. 22, according to city records online, architect Christina Larsen applied for a building permit to renovate the building at 237 Second Ave. S.E. as a restaurant. Many years ago the space was part of a tire shop. More recently it was a storage space for Main Auto Body, which used to have a shop a block away on First.
As of Thursday (Oct. 3) the permit application was still pending. McClinton Home Finishes LLC is named as the contractor.
This project is of interest first because food cart operators don’t often start an actual restaurant. And second, because this venture is taking place east of Lyon Street in a part of town that needs more life. It converts a storage space into a place the public can use.
Kacie Harvey told me her food cart operation will continue: “We will use the cart for events, fundraisers, community involvement and will continue to visit our current and former parking spots in Lebanon, Corvallis, Philomath and beyond once our Albany brick & mortar is open.”
If you’d like to know more about where to find the cart when, check out ponobowlco.squaresite.com or streetfoodfinder.com/PonoBowlCo.
When will the new restaurant on Second Avenue open? “Projected for this winter,” Harvey said. “But it’s been quite a journey, so time will tell if we stay on track.” (hh)
The planned renovation of 237 Second Ave. S.E. includes redoing the façade as well.
What is so difficult to issue a permit? Perhaps Coach K can tell us why it is an eternity to get anything approved in Albany and Linn County.
I read Les Schwab’s book and he enlightened his readers how he could originally could go into a town and be in business in a couple of weeks but now it’s years.
You have a large sponsor splashing across your page.
How does he register on any of your posits?
hh-today has no “sponsors,” but now and then somebody advertises across the top. Beyond that, I don’t understand the question.
“sponsor” ?? Advertiser you mean? Geesh
Isn’t that just barely off Lyon Street and in the building where Marti Calson had her costume shop, The Costume Loft, at the last, before she closed? I can’t tell for sure.
You mentioned the east side of town needing business. Go to the Regional Museum and look up the history of The Hackleman District versus the Monteith District. Back when the Monteith and Hackleman families settled in Albany in the 1800s, the Monteith District was for the so-called elites and the Hackleman district was not. That never changed over the years. It is still the same. For example, when street repairs are done, and that is not very often as we know, Monteith District is done first.
No, it’s two blocks from Lyon near the corner of Montgomery Street.
Thanks.
I live very near that building and am a big fan of Pono Bowl! I am looking forward to their opening :) I hope it brings more life down our way. Calapooia Brewing and Deluxe Distillery are also in the area. We have reasons to visit for sure and the riverfront path means you can park and walk around all of the downtown area (East and West) without having to worry about traffic. Can’t wait to have access to these smoothies, bowls and fancy toasts on a regular basis!!
Will there be any gluten free items available? There are a good number of people who have a gluten intolerance and the number of places serving food can not accommodate them
But, what we all want to know, which smoothie did you get?