PORTLAND, Ore. — BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse at Jantzen Beach is set to close permanently on Feb. 21 after 26 years in operation, the parent company confirmed last week.
The company did not give a reason for the closure in a statement to KGW, saying only that the decision was "by no means an easy one" and encouraged customers to visit other BJ's locations in the area.
The company only operates two other Oregon restaurants, according to its website — one in Hillsboro and one in Eugene — although it does also have four restaurants throughout the Puget Sound area in Washington.
An internal memo sent to restaurant staff and shared with KGW didn't offer much more specificity, stating only that the closure is expected to be permanent "due to changing business needs" and offering staff a bonus for staying until Feb. 21 and an opportunity to transfer to Hillsboro or another BJ's location.
The closure marks the third high-profile departure of a Jantzen Beach restaurant along North Center Avenue in the past year, following Cracker Barrel and Stanford's last summer.
Both of those closures were specifically attributed to safety and security concerns, but BJ's made no reference to safety issues in either its public statement or its internal memo.
There have also been some business openings at Jantzen Beach in the past year. Floor & Decor opened up shop in a new building at the site of the former Safeway on North Jantzen Street, and Jaybee's Chicken Palace opened up in the former Hooters building next door.
