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Timberland Town Center opening soon

The big new shopping center that’s been taking shape along NW Barnes Road in Cedar Mill is nearly ready for business! “We are about 90% full now,” says Gramor Development Inc.’s property management director of leasing, Shana Alles. She adds, “Businesses will be opening between later in December and February. Market of Choice is going to open in mid-January.”

Market of Choice, which will occupy a 40,000-square-foot building at the southwest corner of the center, is an Oregon grocer featuring “high end” conventional and natural foods. The new store will include a wine bar, a juice bar, a large selection of take-home foods, from scratch-made soups and sandwiches to elegant entrées and sides. They are slated to open mid-January.

The remaining 50,000 square feet of additional retail space will include an impressive group of retail and service businesses, many of them locally owned.

Cedar Mill residents have long been clamoring for more choices for dining, and several new eating spots will be available, including Kukai Ramen & Izakaya, a Japanese ramen chain. This will be its first Oregon location. With nearly 20 locations in Japan and one in Taiwan, Kukai crossed the Pacific a couple of years ago, opening pair of Seattle-area locations in Bellevue and Northgate. If you’re thinking about that student-food in cellophane packets, think again. The Seattle Times said recently, “Try the Garlic Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen, with a pungent, rich, gravy-like pork broth. Kukai sells out of it most nights.” They also advise diners to eat fast! “It’s counterintuitive to how westerners dine. Yes, you slurp. You’re supposed to eat while your ramen is steaming hot. Yes, your broth may have that fatty sheen, glistening like the Exxon Valdez spill. And, yes, eating ramen should be a race against time; the alchemy gets out of whack once the broth cools down. You should finish within 10 minutes, 12 tops.”

Another tempting spot will be Clutch Prime Sausagery. The Portland Tribune says, “With menu items priced at $6-$10, (founder and owner Ken) Norris will transform the simple food many crave—lamb gyros, buffalo chicken, pizza and Thanksgiving turkey with stuffing—into an expertly crafted, lightly smoked sausage atop a buttery brioche bun.”. The shop will also offer sausage to take home, along with a selection of local products such as Jacobsen Salt and Quin candy.

Ava Roasteria, a friendly and popular local coffee and pastry shop that’s been gracing downtown Beaverton since 2006, will occupy the northwest corner spot. They make a great cup of coffee, whatever your favorite style, and also serve lunch fare like Panini and other sandwiches, soups and salads.

Bethany’s Table, a local-focused spot that recently remodeled their Bethany Town Center location, will open a “The Table” here too. If you haven’t enjoyed a meal there, “the cuisine has strong Mediterranean influences, and when we visit restaurants in Northern Italy we find many of our dishes. And then there’s coq au vin and paella, a great hamburger and, occasionally, fish tacos. While the fare is fine, the ambiance is casual,” as their website says. I’m sure this “neighborhood freestyle bistro” will attract a lot of new customers who never get up to Bethany to check them out!

Beyond food, there will be personal services from B’Tan, Urban Waxx, and LaBelle Nail Salon, fitness choices from barre3 and StarCycle, Zucari Home & Garden, which is relocating from it’s former Pearl District spot, Mud Bay Natural Dog & Cat Foods, health services from Gentle Dental, and Pharmaca, an “integrative pharmacy,” with locations in several western states.

When Gramor Development took on this project, President Barry Cain and Vice President of Project Development Matt Grady made several visits to CPO 1 to discuss their plans. One thing they promised was to do their best to populate the center with “local as possible” businesses, and it’s gratifying to announce that they have kept that promise!

Current Timberland leasing map. Click to enlarge.

Several of these businesses are already hiring, so if you’re looking for a job with a short commute, check them out. Here are a couple of links to get started:

• Market of Choice Careers
• Mud Bay Careers

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