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JaCiva's Bakery and Chocolatier

JaCiva's Bakery and Chocolatier was a bakery and chocolate shop in Portland, Oregon, United States. The business closed permanently in 2024.

Description

JaCiva's was a bakery and chocolate shop on Hawthorne Boulevard in southeast Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood.[1] The shop had a small private event space and a dessert house called After Dark, which specialized in chocolates, cakes, and tortes. JaCiva's offered pastries, cheesecake, coffee cake, truffles,[2] and other "interestingly shaped" chocolates.[3]

History

Jack and Iva Elmer co-founded the bakery in December 1986. The couple's daughters operated the business after Jack suffered a stroke in 1990.[1] Iva helped coordinate the temporary installation of American flags along Hawthorne Boulevard at certain times of the year.[4]

Jack died in 2014 at the age of 75.[5][6][7] One of his surviving daughters wrote, "He was loved and will be missed greatly."[8]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the business had a take-out window and drive-through operation. Face masks were required even after Oregon's mandate ended, as of March 2022.[9][10] The business announced plans to close in 2023,[11] citing the pandemic as well as crime and vandalism as reasons.[12][13] JaCiva's closed on July 29, 2024.[14][15]

Reception

JaCiva's was a runner-up in the Best Sweet Shop/Chocolatier category of Willamette Week annual 'Best of Portland' readers' poll in 2024.[16] Michael Russell included JaCiva's in The Oregonian list of the 21 "most painful" restaurant and bar closures of 2024.[17]

See also

  • Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry
  • Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry in the United States
  • List of bakeries
  • List of chocolatiers

External links

References

  1. Laura Gunderson. Southeast Portland's JaCiva's Bakery plans survival as founder Jack Elmer dying of cancer The Oregonian, October 10, 2013, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  2. Lisa Johnson. Mind Your X's and Y's: Satisfying the 10 Cravings of a New Generation of Consumers Simon and Schuster, 2006-09-13, retrieved 2022-08-28^
  3. Liz Crain. Food Lover's Guide to Portland Hawthorne Books, 2014-09-02, retrieved 2022-08-28^
  4. Those who serve: The story behind how those U.S. flags go up on Hawthorne KGW, November 14, 2018, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  5. Andy Giegerich. JaCiva's chocolatier Jack Elmer dies Portland Business Journal, May 2, 2014, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  6. Cari Hachmann. Jack Elmer, famed baker and chef, dies at 75 Portland Tribune, May 23, 2014, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  7. JaCiva's chocolatier passes away Oregon Business, May 2, 2014, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  8. Erin DeJesus. RIP Eater Portland, Vox Media, 2 May 2014, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  9. Jamie Goldberg. Oregon businesses weigh their own mask rules as state mandate approaches end The Oregonian, 2022-03-11, retrieved 2022-08-28^
  10. Lisa Balick. Some Portland businesses keep mask requirement for now KOIN, March 15, 2022, retrieved August 28, 2022^
  11. Andy Giegerich. 5 Things to know for Friday: A classic Southeast Portland bakery will make its last cake Portland Business Journal, September 15, 2023, retrieved September 15, 2023^
  12. Katherine Cook. Declining clientele seals the fates of Southeast Portland mainstays Pied Cow and JaCiva's KGW, September 14, 2023, retrieved 2023-09-15^
  13. Janey Wong. Portland's Restaurant, Bar, and Food Cart Closures Eater Portland, 2021-01-20, retrieved 2023-09-21^
  14. JaCiva's Bakery & Chocolatier in Portland will close June 29 kgw.com, 2024-06-04, retrieved 2024-06-05^
  15. Michael Russell. Portland’s 21 most painful restaurant and bar closures of 2024 The Oregonian, 2024-12-21, retrieved 2024-12-21^
  16. 2024 Best of Portland Readers’ Poll: Food Willamette Week, retrieved 2024-10-23^
  17. Michael Russell. Portland’s 21 most painful restaurant and bar closures of 2024 The Oregonian, 2024-12-21, retrieved 2025-01-05^