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…