Popular Portland Pizza Restaurant Closing Several Stores

Portland, Ore. — Portland-based pizzeria chain HotLips is closing three of its five restaurants, citing pandemic, labor, and economic stresses. In a Facebook post, the company announced the Northeast Killingsworth, Hollywood district, and downtown Civic locations will all be closed effective Monday, March 27.

Co-owner David Yudkin said that despite being able to reorganize their operations to survive the pandemic, negative economic conditions have persisted, forcing the company to switch to a smaller crew and footprint with “realistic, attainable goals.” The company’s two remaining locations are in the Pearl District and on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard. HotLips will also continue to offer catering services in Portland and a mobile pizza trailer for special events.

Co-owner Jeana Edelman expressed deep sadness at the layoffs of staff that have been with the company for years or even decades. Laid-off staff will be given a week’s severance. “Please, support the local businesses in your neighborhood and our city. Every single one needs your patronage,” she added.

HotLips has closed one other location previously, the Portland State University store, which shut down in mid-2020. In a blog post at the time, the company said the pandemic lockdown measures resulted in an “emptying out” of the PSU neighborhood, making the shop unsustainable.