An Idea

Matthew and Elizabeth Busetto moved to Portland so that Elizabeth could attend Chiropractic and Naturopathic Medical Schools. As graduation day grew near, the Busettos began to think about what their next step should be. They were eager to start a family, Elizabeth was excited to start her practice, and Matthew had a clear vision for the kind of restaurant he’d like to open.

While she was supposed to be scanning Craigslist for office space to lease, Elizabeth was checking out the real estate for sale section instead. She couldn’t believe it when she saw the old Dekum Firehouse – a building she’d admired since they moved to Portland – was up for sale. Her first thought was “multi-disciplinary health clinic!” Matthew’s first thought was, “Are you crazy?” Buying a beautiful, but sadly run-down building was certainly not in the budget. He also realized that arguing with his very determined wife was futile, and so eventually decided to join her and their realtor to see the property.

Elizabeth was unfazed by the metal bars on the windows, the battered chain link fence, and profusion of weeds surrounding the building. Before the realtor even had the key in the lock, Elizabeth was imagining herself looking down through the huge windows into the lovely garden they would create. Matthew was only thinking, “How can I let her down easily?”

Once inside, they could assess all of the work the place needed – ugly, old tile covering the walls, popcorn ceiling, a cinderblock dividing wall – a total mess. But despite all of that, Matthew suddenly joined Elizabeth in her ability to see past it all, but he didn’t see health clinic. “I am opening my restaurant here!”

Matthew called his old friend Eric Rose from New Seasons, with whom he had had many conversations about their shared ideas about local, sustainable food, to see if he had any interest in opening a rustic Italian restaurant in a super cool old firehouse. Eric just laughed – of course he was interested.

Before Elizabeth could protest – after all, she saw HER dream fulfilled with this building – Matthew let his vision pour from his head and stumble out of his mouth. The first floor –the restaurant with wood-fired oven, reclaimed wood fixtures and tables, garden patio. Upstairs – the health clinic where clients will be healed not only with treatments but by the light streaming through the floor to ceiling windows, the view of beautiful Woodlawn park. And outside – yes – the garden as Elizabeth imagined it, but also a place where their kids could play, right where both of them worked. Her eyes lit up then, too. Perfect.

A Dream Deferred?

They both knew they were determined to make it happen, but the financing would be a hefty challenge. They picked up the phone and started making calls to everyone in their lives they thought might be able to help. Elizabeth’s dad listened intently, but didn’t see how this could possibly work financially. Elizabeth and Matthew started to worry he might be right.

It didn’t take long, however, for her dad to call back and say that everyone in the family wanted to help them see this through to reality. Everyone – her parents, her aunts and uncles, her siblings – would pool their money to buy the building. The Busettos were elated, and overwhelmed with gratitude.

Sweat Equity

As soon as the building was purchased they found an architect to design the restaurant and they began working on the inside of the building. They tore out the cinderblock walls, the bars on the windows. Slowly they chipped away at the false ceiling, exposing the aged wood beams beneath. The rich patina of the original brick emerged from behind the plaster and tiled walls. Each day uncovered a little bit more of the building’s original character. Matthew worked with the wood just like he works with food – coaxing the beauty out of the old wood naturally and without a lot of manipulation. He patiently hand-sanded the old beams and rubbed them with linseed oil to restore their luster. He built new walls and a fence around the garden which he and Eric landscaped. He stained the concrete floors to warm the room. Elizabeth and Eric tiled the pizza oven and installed a stone patio floor. Justin Rideout, of Rideout Design, and his brother Shilo of Rideout Reclamation, brought in reclaimed wood from around the state to build the bar, benches, tables, and trim.

A Greener Place

It was important to both the Busettos and to Eric Rose that this building have a low environmental impact. All of the wood used was finished with non-toxic linseed oil, all of the aluminum windows and doors were replaced with real wood, and all of the paint used was no VOC. They redirected all of the downspouts into a large French drain system underneath the outdoor patio, and planted a drought resistant garden full of native species.

A Growing Garden

They’ve also planted things that they will use in the kitchen. Apples, cherries, figs, pears, persimmons, quince, blueberries, huckleberries, currants, and grapes from the garden will be used in pastry chef Gretchen Glatte’s creations. Hardy herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme, and vegetables like tomatoes and greens are harvested from the garden as much as possible.

A Welcoming Place

The beautiful building restored, Eric Rose, the Busettos, and Gretchen Glatte proudly opened their doors in June of 2008. Just as they imagined it, Elizabeth practices upstairs, Eric, Matthew and Gretchen serve delicious, healthy food to happy guests downstairs, and, best of all, Elizabeth and Matthew’s beautiful son Calvin, born in November 2008, is right there with them, playing in the garden, every day.