On Friday, December 15th, Mía and More will celebrate their first year in Portland with a one-day discount and a new name. Over the next few months, the location at 326 SE 82nd Avenue will transition to Mía 102. This change allows the owner to expand operations beyond the limits of the franchise structure to meet customer demand for a more diverse menu selection.
One year ago, Mía and More opened along SE 82nd Avenue across from Hong Phat Food Center. The shop’s menu features fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, milk tea, fruit smoothies, and Vietnamese street food. Owner Michelle Tran explained that over the last 12 months, they have received requests to expand their offerings. “So far, we can only sell what is on Mía and More’s original menu and can’t add anything else. We’ve been wanting to offer more tasty drinks and food that are more suitable for our local customers.”
The transition from a franchise location required a new name, and Tran wanted a clever way to signal their difference. “102, when sounded out in Vietnamese (Một không hai), means unique,” said Tran. Mía is Vietnamese for sugarcane, so Mía 102 expresses that this is a one-of-a-kind sugarcane juice destination. The Mía 102 Team invites everyone to stop in Friday, December 15th, from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a 20% discount on all in-store orders.
Later this year, the Mia and More restaurant will relocate from its original Beaverton shop to 326 SE 82nd Avenue. The store’s menu features fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, milk tea, fruit smoothies, and Vietnamese street food. Located in the Annex building near SE Stark Street, the retail space previously housed Las Tres Flores and All-Ways Warm fireplace store. Remodeling crews are now waiting on permit approvals before they begin transforming the space.
The Mia and More brand originated in Kent, Washington, several years ago. The owners license the name to other independent store operators across the country and supply licensees with sugarcane sourced from trusted farms in Vietnam. The Beaverton location was the first Mia and More in Oregon. Local restaurant owner Michelle Tran wanted to open her Mia and More location in Portland. However, an existing commercial lease in Beaverton allowed Tran to test the market before committing to a dedicated space.
Image courtesy of Mia and More
Tran is no stranger to Portland eateries, having owned The House of Ramen on SW Columbia Street for many years. However, with a 22-year-long career in the medical industry, Tran wanted to expand her food service work to include more fresh and natural products. The Mia and More brand had built a reputation for high-quality ingredients that appealed to her. “We blend the sugarcane juice with real fruit instead of powder. The only powder that we use with the taro powder, chocolate, and matcha, those are the ones we can’t help,” explained Tran.
Mia and More Beaverton Store, pressing sugarcane. Image courtesy of Mia and More
After a short time in Beaverton, Tran began looking for a location closer to her most active customers and a community with an appreciation for the menu items. “So when we were in Beaverton, people had to drive all the way from Portland, Vancouver, Salem to get to the Beaverton location. We chose the Montavilla area because it’s quite packed with Vietnamese population right there.” Said Tran. Designers started work on the new location in March, but City permitting delays stalled construction. Tran could not staff both sites simultaneously and had intended to close the original restaurant around the time of opening the SE Portland spot. However, construction delays have pushed the opening date past August, and it is still uncertain when renovations will be complete. The old location is now closed, leaving customers eager for the Montavilla restaurant to open.
Image courtesy of Mia and More
Michelle Tran explained that the new storefront is smaller than her old location. Consequentially, the staff will need to cut down the menu some. However, the popular drink offerings will remain the central focus of the store. Look for an update within the next few months announcing the official opening date for Mia and More on SE 82nd Avenue.
Las Tres Flores has relocated down the street to 24 SE 82nd Avenue, inside the Santa Cruz Bakery and Taqueria.
By
Jacob Loeb
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