Miyake Diner, the third and newest addition to the Miyake family of restaurants in Portland, will not survive to its first anniversary.
According to an announcement Monday, Miyake Diner’s last day of business will be Wednesday. The closure is a result of business partners Masa Miyake and William Garfield parting ways to pursue their own ventures, the announcement said.
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Miyake and Garfield opened Miyake Diner in January at 129 Spring St. It joined Miyake’s two existing eponymous restaurants – Miyake on Fore Street and Pai Men Miyake on Longfellow Square – operated by Miyake Restaurant Group, of which Garfield is co-owner.
After its final customers depart on Wednesday, Miyake Diner will be shuttered and undergo renovations in preparation for a future project under Garfield’s direction, according to the announcement. Masa Miyake will remain the owner of Miyake restaurant on Fore Street and Pai Men Miyake, which will be unaffected by Monday’s news.
Garfield said Monday that he hasn’t worked out the details yet of his new project, but he knows what it will not be.
“It will not be Japanese. It will be something outside that spectrum, probably on the drink side of things. But not cocktails, probably more of a bar. Food will likely be a component, but it will not be a restaurant in the traditional sense,” he said, adding that he’d hope to have the new project open by the end of September.
Garfield, 25, was Masa Miyake’s first employee at the original Food Factory Miyake in the Spring Street space in 2007. Garfield said the split with Miyake was amicable and something the pair had discussed for some time.
“We’ve always been great friends and partners,” Garfield said. “I’m young and it’s time for me to look into some other options … and he was gracious enough to allow me to have the Spring Street space for my first foray into Portland on my own.”
Masa Miyake echoed Garfield’s comments in a statement.
“This is a very positive change for both of us,” Miyake said. “Will was my first employee when I opened Food Factory Miyake in 2007, and was only 18 years old at the time. Since then, we have worked together to establish the Miyake name as a pillar in the ever-competitive Portland dining scene. It will be an adjustment for our staff and patrons, but I know that it is time for Will to move on to a project that is his own.”
Garfield said Miyake Diner started slowly after it opened in January after some delay, but had gained steam through the last few months. He said the new restaurant’s performance was not responsible for the decision to close and try something new.
It was designed to be an izakaya-style restaurant, which Garfield compared to a gastro-pub. One of Miyake Diner’s missions was to bring a greater appreciation for sake to Portland’s food scene.
“We didn’t have enough time to figure out a way to present sake to the average consumer in Portland and make them want to come in just for sake. People are going to be more comfortable ordering a Merlot than an unfiltered nigori sake,” Garfield said. “We knew that would be a challenge when we opened up.”
The Spring Street space has also been the home of Miyake’s catering operation, which still goes by the name Food Factory Miyake, but Garfield said that would be moved to another location. He said he has a 15-year lease on the space.
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