NEWBERG, Ore. — In the final stages of launching a new summer restaurant concept, Artist Block owner Anna Sweet announced the closure of the Alpha Bravo Bar pop-up in Newberg citing operational challenges, staffing capacity, and increased focus on the restaurant’s parent company, Artist Block Winery.
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“At the end of the day, I need to do what’s right for the bigger business, which is Artist Block,” Sweet said. “I’m excited to bring this concept back up to Dundee.”
Artist Block opened a pop-up ramen restaurant in its satellite location at 115 S. Washington St. in November 2024, serving bowls of ramen and small bites alongside wines from Artist Block and local wineries.
The concept performed well enough during the winter season that Sweet planned to build on its success for the summer with a different food menu and cocktail lounge. She noted that Newberg has limited options for cocktails and believed she could help fill that gap.
After repainting and renovating the entry to accommodate a cocktail lounge—and updating the kitchen for the new menu—the restaurant welcomed its first guests before ultimately deciding to close.
“It was a really difficult decision,” she said. “We put in a lot of time and investment into the space and the idea. But this is what we need to do at this time.”
Sweet said she had originally planned to launch her speakeasy-style cocktail lounge at the winery’s Dundee tasting room but shifted the idea to Newberg after discovering the Quonset hut on Washington Street. She now plans to bring the furniture and equipment back to Dundee and relaunch the winter ramen pop-up at the winery to help boost traffic during the slower season.
The former Alpha Bravo Quonset hut will be available for lease starting in July.
“I’m really hoping something fun goes into that space, especially after the work we put in,” Sweet said. “Newberg deserves something fun and exciting.”
Sweet said she is focused on the transition out of the Newberg location and is excited about upcoming events at the winery, including the French Picnic tasting experience, available from June through September. Artist Block Winery is located at 9650 N.E. Fox Lane in Dundee.
Learn more at the Artist Block website.
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