Oak Grove (97267)

Go HERE to read about Oak Grove happenings. 

We’ll be posting tons on Facebook - on the Oak Grove, OR, page. Mostly news on Oak Grove, but some on surrounding areas, including Milwaukie, Gladstone and some Sellwood. 

GO HERE to like and start reading and contributing!

Lost Oregon has a post on a recent bike ride around Milwaukie. Check it out here.

Just opened this week, Rocco’s is located in the old spot where Oak Grove Coffee used to be. Stopped by today and enjoyed a great Americano and a chocolate Cannoli - deep-fried in chocolate. Spoke with the owners - they plan on expanding the menu a bit as well. 

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Location: 2144 Se Oak Grove Blvd, Oak Grove. 

The McLoughlin Area Plan group has released its preliminary Phase II plan that outlines potential changes that could occur in our region (the McLoughlin corridor, from Milwaukie to Oak Grove to Gladstone). 

Pedestrian friendly?
Jobs? 
Housing?
Public transit? 
Retail?
Trees? 
Less sprawl?  

We’re 100% behind this plan. 

We’re feeling a momentum growing in downtown Milwaukie- Main Street is slowly growing with new shops and restaurants, the Trolley Trail is nearing completion, funding has been approved to connect the Trolley Trail with the Springwater Trail and now others are starting to take notice - like the newish blog, Milwaukie Rules. 

Looking forward to seeing them grow - we need more hyper-local reporting and buzz!

Milwaukie resident Brian VanOrnum has filed for the paperwork and is setting up a nanobrewery in Milwaukie. And now he needs some help from the local (and beer) community. 

Visit Kickstarter to see how you can help him. A nanobrewery in Milwaukie would be fantastic and a great addition to the local buzz with Milwaukie Kitchen and Wine is gaining. 

According to a Google search (double, top-secret search engine, ya know), there’s a new cafe coming to Oak Grove Blvd. and Arista called The Trolley Trail Cafe at 2100 SE Oak Grove. According to records it was incorporated in June. We thought that was the location of yet-to-be-opened Pie and Jam which we hope is still on track to open sometime soon. 

In other cafe news, Oak Grove Station officially shut its doors for good, according to its Facebook page. They’re going to spend energy renovating the Safari Club in Estacada (which is aces in our book).

According to a recent post in Portland Food and Drink, Pascal Sauton is planning to open Milwaukie Kitchen & Wine in downtown Milwaukie. From Food Dude’s post the shop will include: 

a coffee shop featuring Ristretto Roasters, a cooking school where Pascal and guest chefs will offer demonstrations, a deli offering charcuterie, homemade soups, salads, specialty sandwiches and prepared dinners to take home, catering both in-house and off-premise, and special events, such as dinners with winemakers, authors, farmers, food celebrations, and fresh, seasonal produce from local farms.

Ristretto Roasters…in Milwaukie? Charcuterie…in Milwaukie? Seasonal produce…in Milwaukie?

Needless to say, we are stoked. This could be a game changer for the sleepy downtown. Will local Clack yokels support something like this? (“Do they serve 7-11 coffee?” “No smoking?! What is this? Russia?!”) or is Sauton banking that our demographic is changing or that Portlanders will make the trek (after noshing at the popular Casa de Tamales)? We all remember what happened to Hartwell’s - a delightful restaurant that just didn’t seem to jibe with the community. 

We’re definitely throwing in OUR support. 

10/2/11: UPDATE: Oh, it’s ON. (It’s not an elaborate hoax.) They’re constructing the new space and have a Facebook page. Sweet. 

Cool piece in the O’s Mix magazine on urban farmers - most notably on Milwaukie’s Vincent household. Inspiring.