Tag: White Rabbit

Business Relocating, Food and Drink

Hungry Heart Comes Home

On January 5th, Hungry Heart Bakery reopened in its original storefront at 414 SE 80th Avenue, consolidating three brands and two restaurants back into one business. For the owner and staff, this will create a sustainable environment while allowing them to continue the work they enjoy. The shop has returned to a breakfast-focused menu in a takeout and counter service format.

Jax Hart started the Hungry Heart cupcakes food cart in 2010 and then opened the Hungry Heart Bakery in Montavilla on January 3rd, 2015. Hart planned to open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street called White Rabbit Cafe and Bakery in the spring of 2020. The pandemic set White Rabbit’s launch date back, with the 7940 SE Stark Street location opening in early 2021 under the Hungry Heart brand. In 2022, Hart reopened the original storefront on SE 80th as a sugar-focused shop called Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets.

The two locations with split identities sometimes caused misunderstandings about the menu options at each space. “It’s been a challenge to create these different brands and give each their own identity. I think it created a lot of confusion over time for people because they would come into Hungry Heart in the morning for cupcakes or they come into Rabbit Hole looking for espresso,” explained Hart. Additionally, the expanded footprint and full-service restaurant generated more work than the profits from both places justified. On December 18th, having considered the best options for staff and customers, Hart closed Hungry Heart’s Stark Street location and retired the White Rabbit/Rabbit Hole branding.

Hart is still developing the new Hungry Heart format, with several classic items missing from the menu. Currently, they only offer their renowned cupcakes by special order, and the Rabbit Hole soft-serve ice cream is unavailable due to space constraints. Brunch and Lunch items once served on SE Stark Street are no longer on the menu, and the shop now closes at 1 p.m., reflecting its breakfast focus. However, starting in March, a retail business will share the SE 80th Avenue storefront after they close, and that group will sell some Hungry Heart baked items. “We can’t announce yet who, but we’re gonna try out having an afternoon roommate in this space, and they will be selling our cupcakes,” said Hart.

Although Hungry Heart is geared towards takeout, they still have 14 seats inside, with an outdoor seating area planned for summer. Hours of operation could also expand in the warmer months with the possible return of soft-serve ice cream. Hart is not trying to take on too much while integrating the brands, instead focusing on the core business. “I feel fortunate and proud of all these different concepts I’ve had a hand in. Not all of them were highly successful or profitable, but the pastries, coffee, and sandwiches continued to be profitable. I think a valuable lesson is that bigger isn’t necessarily always better. It was really cool being in a bigger space, but I missed being in the smaller space, having a smaller crew and a smaller menu, and just having things be a little bit simpler. The bigger space just felt like a hustle,” said Hart.

The downsizing and return to its origins is not a regression for Hungry Heart. Hart sees it as an opportunity to safely experiment without the pressure of a large restaurant’s staff and overhead. People should expect to find new, exciting foods coming from the bakery alongside the classics. “I’m hoping to take some of the pastries in a more Hispanic direction and do a play on a modern Mexican bakery, offering some more things from my background that I grew up eating. I’ve just been so focused on French pastry since we’ve been open. I’m really excited to take things in a different direction and still offer people the things that they’ve come to know over the years,” said Hart. Hungry Heart is open daily from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. except Tuesdays.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Closing, Business Relocating, Food and Drink

Hungry Heart Consolidates

On December 18th, Hungry Heart Bakery served its last meal from the 7940 SE Stark Street location and will return to its former space a block away at 414 SE 80th Avenue. Since April 2022, the Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets shop has operated from the SE 80th location. Jax Hart owns both businesses, and the two locations worked together to meet the varied appetites of customers throughout the day. This weekend, December 30th and 31st, the restaurant’s owner will sell surplus supplies as they consolidate operations into the smaller space.

Inside Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets

Hungry Heart Bakery opened in Montavilla on January 3rd, 2015, after five years of running the successful Hungry Heart cupcakes food cart. From 2017 to 2019, Hungry Heart opened a sister business, Heartbreaker, a block over at 411 SE 81st Avenue. They closed that business with plans to open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street called White Rabbit Cafe and Bakery in the spring of 2020. The pandemic set White Rabbit’s launch back, with the SE Stark location opening in early 2021 under the Hungry Heart name. As restrictions lifted on indoor dining, Hart expanded the menu and embraced the original brunch menu planned for White Rabbit. The restaurant began a transition to the intended name, adopting both logos. However, they never completed that transition, and a change of business operations was needed.

In December, Jax Hart publicly announced that the company would relocate to the original space. “The decision to downsize has not been easy, but gives us the opportunity to slow down and return to our roots,” reads a notice on the Hungry Heart website. Consolidating the two locations requires selling some of the surplus restaurant supplies. The staff invites people to buy items at the weekend sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 30th and 31st inside the closed location at 7940 SE Stark Street. They intend to reopen the consolidated shop at 414 SE 80th Avenue on January 5th, 2024. Watch the Hungry Heart Instagram account for updates.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Food and Drink, New Business, Restaurant

White Rabbit Will Wait

The much-anticipated opening of White Rabbit Cafe and Bakery will have to wait until 2021. Morgan and Jax Hart have postponed the launch of their new brunch spot to preserve the restaurant’s original intent, which could not exist with current restrictions. Instead, they will lend the space to their other creations. Starting August 14th, 7940 SE Stark Street will become Heartbreaker Market.

The original Hungry Heart Bakery location, at 414 SE 80th Ave, will temporarily become an ice cream focused shop, serving Heartbreaker ice cream by the scoop, and pint. The transformation of the 80th Ave location will happen in the coming weeks.

According to Morgan Hart, postponing White Rabbit was the only reasonable choice if they were going to open the location as envisioned. Staff expressed that they are not conferrable offering table service at this phase of the pandemic. Brunch is inherently a sit-down experience. There was not an elegant way to make White Rabbit takeout friendly. “Nobody does Eggs Benedict takeout,” said Morgan Hart. “it would be mush.” For the Harts, this was not White Rabbit’s time to open.

Courtesy of Hungry Heart PDX, LLC

Construction at the new restaurant has been underway for months, albeit slower due to social distancing. The Stark Street location is mostly completed now, except for booths and other dining room finishes.” The kitchen looks like a kitchen [and] the counters are looking beautiful,” exclaimed Morgan Hart when describing the progress. This level of completion at Stark Street is sufficient for takeout services. The Harts did not want to waste the opportunity to use the new larger kitchen and prep space. Moving operations to the Stark Street location will be a relief for the seven staff members who have been trying to make do in the smaller kitchen on 80th Ave.

Heartbreaker Market will not provide table service at this location. As Hungry Heart operated down the street, they will continue to serve takeout through zero-touch sales. They plan to expand the menu at the Stark Street location, incorporating some of the takeout friendly options intended for White Rabbit.

The fully implemented White Rabbit will open in January 2021. At that time, Hungry Heart will return to its old location. The Hungry Heart menu will then adjust to focus on sweets, with savory items remaining on Stark Street at White Rabbit.

The Harts have a strong vision for their restaurant creations and compassion for their staff’s wellbeing. That has guided them to look to a longterm perspective when planning around this pandemic. They expect to be in Montavilla for many years, making proper execution of their vision more important than a hasty opening.

Bar, Food and Drink, New Business, Restaurant, Review - Opinion

Effect of Staying Home on Where We Go-out

It has almost been a month of empty streets and closed shops. Even if you are safe and secure during this time, you are looking around at the businesses in the neighborhood and hoping they will survive. There are some programs to help these small businesses but not enough, and certainly they are not timely in providing the help needed. Those programs are for established businesses trying to make it through the forced closures. However, they do not cover establishments that have not opened their doors for the first time. We have many businesses in Montavilla that are mid construction.

The Oregonian has an article detailing the struggle of four restaurants and bars that had all been scheduled to open in Montavilla town. In the article, the owners of White Rabbit, Tinker Tavern, Lazy Susan, and Sebastiano’s all lend their voice to the story of uncertainty around us. No business in Montavilla is immune to the financial hardships being felt right now but the ones that have yet to see their first customer, are proving to be the most vulnerable.

All is not lost for these future landmarks of Montavilla. Some should be able to postpone plans. Others are adjusting the business to fit what is practical right now. Andrew Mace, of Lazy Susan, is quoted in The Oregonian article as being thankful they did not hire staff yet.

Unlike other shops with staff, payroll and unemployment is one burden the new locations in Montavilla are not contending with. There are many established businesses in our area that need cash flow to keep some of their staff employed.

Brian Stafki put together a Google Sheet of Montavilla, and other nearby businesses, that are open or offering services in an alternative form. If you can continue to give them business, please do.

The Montavilla East Tabor Business Association has created a COVID-19 Info and Resources page that has some additional information about its members, during this prolonged shutdown.

Food and Drink, New Business, Restaurant

White Rabbit Taking Teahouse Space

The Townshend Montavilla Teahouse, at 7940 SE Stark Street, closed this winter quietly after only three years. Although longtime residents were more loyal to the Bipartisan Cafe across the street, it was a nice addition to the Montavilla town. Fortunately the space is set to open to a new tenant soon. White Rabbit is slated to open in the space, notes Eater.com. White Rabbit is going to be a new brunch spot by the people who operate Hungry Heart Bakery. This is a second attempt in the neighborhood for Jax and Morgan Hart. Their now closed Heartbreaker is just around the corner at 411 SE 81ST Ave. I look forward to seeing what they bring to Stark Street.