When the 1990s were first hip, Anna Bannana’s coffee shop became a groovy mainstay of Nob Hill in Northwest Portland.
After operating for more than 30 years—first as a coffee cart in 1993 and then as a physical café in 1994—it closed on January 1.
Rand Klemp, who took over the coffee shop on Northwest 21st Avenue in 2015 after its original owner, Bryant Anderson, sold it in 2014, stated, “Unfortunately, we had to make a really sad and tough call.” We’re figuring things out. It resembles grief.
With its gritty basement, the cafe was a favorite hangout for generations of Alphabet District residents and tourists, including members of the rock band The Dandy Warhols, filmmaker Gus Van Sant, who filmed a scene for 2007’s Paranoid Park at the establishment, and a young Ari Shapiro, the NPR host who attended Beaverton High School. At the time, it was just how the owners wanted it.
In 2011, Sarah Anderson, the wife of Bryant Anderson, told The Oregonian/OregonLive, “You can go in there and find movie writers, authors, people who just scrounged enough to get a cup of coffee, and students who are cutting class.”
The shutdown was initially reported by the Portland Business Journal. Klemp, a 69-year-old former banking executive, said he was compelled to make the decision due to rising expenses and necessary building repairs. “We didn’t want to sacrifice quality,” he stated.
The two other Anna Bannanas locations in St. Johns and the Alberta Arts District have since closed or changed their names. Bryant Anderson, who owned Anna Bannanas and claimed to have strived to keep the place feeling like a living room, said it’s unfortunate for the area. Many of the individuals are still on my mind.
The Andersons currently own and operate Madrona Cafe, a coffee establishment on Key Peninsula, Washington.
Editor Beth Slovic works on the breaking news and public safety team. You can contact her at [email protected] or 503-221-8551.
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