SoHi Brands, a Portland-based company that has acquired several local brands in recent years and was formerly known as Sortis Holdings, has sold Water Avenue Coffee to Harder Day Coffee Company, a coffee roaster founded by Steeplejack owners Brody Day and Dustin Harder.

The sale was completed on August 16, and Water Avenue employees were notified of the acquisition the same day. The coffee company will continue to operate under the name Water Avenue Coffee Company. “We are excited to begin a new chapter for Water Avenue,” said Day Willamette Week. Water Avenue recently opened a cafe in the Clyde Hotel, the former Ace Hotel that SoHi purchased in 2021. Harder Day operates two locations, one on Woodstock Boulevard and one in Beaverton, and plans to open two more locations — one on Northeast Sandy Boulevard in late summer and one on South Macadam Avenue in early fall. Water Avenue had previously planned to open in the same Sandy Boulevard location in 2022.

The James Beard Foundation Taste America: Portland with Katy Millard from Coquine

The James Beard Foundation Try America The culinary series returns to Portland on September 26 with a walk-in tasting event at Redd on Salmon. The event will feature Coquine co-owner Katy Millard, who is one of the foundation’s TasteTwenty chefs for the class of 2024-2025, an award given to top talent and trailblazers in the food industry. Other participating chefs include Sarah Minnick of Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Kari Shaughnessy of Hayward, Varanya Gewoonsawat of Kann and Akkapong “Earl” Ninsom of Langbaan.

Fuego will close all its food stalls at the end of the year

Burrito and bowl food truck Fuego, which operates six locations across Portland, will close at the end of 2024. “For 30 years, we served up mind-blowing flavors and hearty meals and became a beloved part of Portland’s food truck culture,” a closure announcement said. “The tough times following the pandemic have made it impossible for us to keep the fire burning.”