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MJ’s Wine Bar in Portland’s One City Center was a popular place for downtown workers to relax with a glass of wine and a cheese plate or other snacks. Photo by Claire Jeffers
MJ’s, the wine bar in the One City Center building in Portland, is closing permanently.
Owner Mark Ohlson announced on social media Wednesday that the wine bar, which has been closed during the pandemic, will not be reopening and thanked his customers “for all the laughter, memories, music and conversation.”
The bar, which opened in 2013, served a lot of wine from its impressive wine list, but also hosted wine talks and themed parties. During warmer months, its outdoor seating area was a favorite spot for downtown workers to relax after a busy day.
Ohlson, who also owns the speakeasy Lincolns on Market Street, called MJ’s his dream and “a huge success,” noting that in 2015 Wine Enthusiast named it one of the Top 20 Wine Bars in America. The magazine’s take on MJ’s: “Take your favorite college-town coffeehouse, but replace the smell of patchouli with a fun wine list that reps far-flung lesser-known regions, like Hungary and the Canary Islands, and you’ve got this chill hangout.”
Ohlson named MJ’s after his mother, Mary Jane Ohlson. In his goodbye to fans on social media, Ohlson said he has “a new idea in my head and it won’t leave me alone unless I bring it to life. See you in May, I hope you like to dance…”
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