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Le Bontemps Café Adapted to Portland Neighborhood Changes

Owner Andrea Bontemps updated her restaurant menu after a nearby Nike store closed and a Planet Fitness moved in.

Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Bold vector illustration of a salad bowl and a smoothie on a wooden table, representing the menu transition in an urban cafe.
Le Bontemps Café in Portland has pivoted its menu toward healthier options like salads and smoothies to better serve a shifting local demographic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Andrea Bontemps opened Le Bontemps Café in Portland in 2021. The restaurant has since adjusted its operations following the 2023 closure of a nearby Nike Community Store and the subsequent arrival of a Planet Fitness.

Why it matters

Rising costs of living have reduced consumer spending at restaurants, prompting small business owners to diversify their income streams. Bontemps specifically pivoted her strategy to include increased catering and menu adjustments to attract the area's new gym-going demographic.

Owner Andrea Bontemps previously operated nine daycare centers before establishing her cafe in 2021. The surrounding area in Northeast Portland underwent a significant shift after a Nike store that opened in 1984 closed its doors in 2023.

The players

Andrea Bontemps

She is the proprietor of Le Bontemps Café and a former operator of nine daycare centers.

Nike

The athletic footwear and apparel corporation previously operated a community store in Portland's Albina District.

Planet Fitness

This national fitness center chain now occupies the commercial space previously held by the Nike Community Store.

The details

Le Bontemps Café, which serves dishes like po'boys, fried alligator, and crawfish étouffée, now incorporates salads to appeal to members of the Planet Fitness that replaced the former Nike storefront. To mitigate lower foot traffic, Bontemps has also shifted focus toward catering services and plans to expand the menu further with smoothies.

Timeline

  1. The Nike factory store first opened in the Albina District in 1984.

  2. Andrea Bontemps opened Le Bontemps Café in 2021.

  3. The Nike Community Store in the area closed in 2023.

  4. Bontemps sold food at the MLK Dream Run on September 19, 2026.

Market Landscape

This restaurant's evolution follows a pattern set by urban commercial areas transitioning away from anchor retail tenants toward service-based economy models. The shift mirrors a broader trend of small businesses adapting to replace the foot traffic once provided by legacy big-box stores.

Patrons can expect expanded health-conscious menu options such as salads and smoothies at the cafe. These changes reflect an effort to maintain local accessibility while providing more choices for residents who utilize the new nearby gym facilities.

The takeaway

Small businesses often must pivot their product offerings to remain viable when the surrounding neighborhood's commercial anchor changes. Diversifying revenue through catering and aligning menu items with the habits of nearby residents are effective strategies for long-term survival.

Further reading

For more information on local business shifts, browse our Portland Openings & Closings section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Oregon Live.

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Do you feel confident that local small businesses in your area can adapt to economic changes?