History
Bridget Bayer opened Bridges in 1994 and owned the business until at least September 1999.[3][7] She bartered with electricians and plumbers to improve the building, which had no electricity or plumbing when she first leased it. She also helped start events such as the Dog Days of Summer and Saturday Stroll to encourage community activity by co-founding the North/Northeast Business Association's Martin Luther King Jr. Good Ol' Days Merchant Society.[3][8] John Balzar of the Los Angeles Times described Bayer as someone "with a growing regional reputation for her skill as a beer chef". She hosted brewer's dinners each month, incorporating beer into dressings and sauces as well as entrees such as baked paella and chili con carne.[9] In 1999, Nowakowski said the cafe "has become a nerve center of economic development along MLK's three-mile strip" and had "proven to be the right antidote for the once-decaying neighborhood". The restaurant was one of only two along an approximately 2 mi stretch of MLK Jr. Boulevard at the time and hosted an average of 200 customers per weekend. According to Bayer, sales increased by 10 percent annually, but the business was "only marginally profitable" due to limited seating capacity. The interior accommodated 30 seats and outdoor seating doubled total capacity when weather allowed.[3]
To generate additional income, Bayer began selling three dip varieties, including roasted-vegetable caponata, in the late 1990s. In 1999, she confirmed plans to sell the restaurant and embark on a wholesale-food business for her dips.[3] Tom and Laura Lane-Ruckman purchased Bridges. Laura served as general manager of the cafe.[1] The duo's "first order of business was to throw out the cans and start making everything from scratch", according to Pas.[6] More than half of the restaurant's revenue was generated from catering. According to the Portland Mercury Abe Asher, the Lane-Ruckmans "[established] Bridges as a favorite even as the neighborhood gentrified".[1]
A female server called "Phreddie" who worked at Bridges for fifteen years has been described as the cafe's "most recognizable figure". The business supported local groups such as Red Dress PDX, which supports queer youth and people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as unions including the Local 503 chapter of the Service Employees International Union and Multnomah County's HIV Services Planning Council.[1] Bridges also hosted a series of successful pop-ups.[10][11]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bridges laid off all but three employees and continued operating as a takeout service. In June, when restaurants had permission to operate, Lane-Ruckman expanded the dining room to allow socially distanced indoor dining.[1] The business fell behind on rent, however, and the economic impact of the pandemic forced Bridges to close permanently on Sunday, November 15, 2020.[12] An announcement of the closure said, "Thank you to all of you who graced us with your business over the years, and to all of you that made our catering business thrive (back in the days when that was possible) ... Good luck and stay safe."[5] Owners and staff reminisced over champagne on the last day.[1]
