After sitting vacant for years, the former Food Front building on Northwest Thurman finally has a new life lined up. Better Half, a well-loved Portland sandwich shop, is set to move into the space, bringing breakfast, lunch and a bigger coffee program back to the block. The shop, which closed its North Fremont storefront last November, is aiming for an August 2026 comeback in the heart of Northwest Portland. The move gives the long-empty corner at 2375 N.W. Thurman a confirmed tenant for the first time since the co-op’s abrupt closure in 2023.
What's going in
According to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Better Half will take over the former Food Front space at 2375 N.W. Thurman and is targeting an August 2026 opening. Local coverage, including reporting in What Now, notes that the larger Thurman footprint will let the owners bring back their full breakfast and lunch counters, revive housemade English muffins and chips, and expand the coffee setup to include espresso drinks.
Food Front's legacy
The Food Front Cooperative Grocery served the neighborhood for more than 50 years before closing in April 2023, leaving a noticeable gap in walkable grocery options. KPTV reported that the co-op’s abrupt shutdown followed board resignations, layoffs and mounting financial trouble. Willamette Week has documented the prolonged disputes over the building and the community push to keep the site focused on food-related uses.
Why the site stayed vacant
Several potential buyers and operators have circled the Thurman property over the past three years, and not every deal made it across the finish line. As Market of Choice ultimately backed away from the deal in 2025, the building was left in limbo yet again. Later reporting showed investor Mark New stepping in and actively courting grocery or food-service tenants while he works to finalize a purchase and keep the property out of foreclosure, according to the Northwest Examiner.
Better Half's return and menu
Better Half, which first opened in North Portland early in the pandemic, built a following for sandwiches that come in both meat-filled and vegan versions, along with gluten-free options, as highlighted by Eater Portland. In an announcement on the shop’s website, the owners said their Fremont space closed after the building was sold to Portland Public Schools and that they are now targeting an August 2026 reopening on Thurman. The posted menu underscores their diet-inclusive approach, with vegan takes on many sandwiches, a gluten-free bread option and a full breakfast lineup that the owners say they plan to scale up in the new kitchen; see the shop’s announcement and menu for details.
What this means for neighbors
Neighbors have largely welcomed word that a tenant is finally locked in, even as many point out that a sandwich shop is not a full-service grocery. Coverage over the last two years shows residents repeatedly calling for a new grocer to replace Food Front, and Willamette Week has reported on those community demands for a grocery-focused buyer. Still, local business watchers say a busy breakfast and lunch spot could bring daytime foot traffic back to the block and help make the broader property more appealing to future retail or service tenants.
For now, the owners say they are working through build-out timelines and permitting, with their sights set on an August 2026 opening. A firm date and more detailed plans for the revamped Thurman storefront are expected as construction gets underway.
