Portalis Moving After 12 Years on Ballard Ave.

Portalis will keep its Ballard Ave. wine bar and bottle shop open through the holidays, then shutter the location in January, reports My Ballard. The dozen year old Portalis is planning a new outpost in a to-be-announced Ballard address.

In a recent blog post, owners Julie and Jens Strecker talk more about the move -- and how Ballard Ave. looked when they first opened down the street from their current location, back in 2003:

The news is out! The For Lease sign is up! Portalis Wines is nearing the end of our 10-year lease in this spot (12 years on the street!), and we've decided it's the end of an era for us on Ballard Ave. What a run! When we first opened in 2003 (up the street at 5310 Ballard Ave) Ballard Bookcase was across the street next to Ernie's motorcycle & metalworks shop (now Bastille). Ernie had "The Pisser" in the window, a life-size metal figure of a man ready for you to hook up your hose so he could water your lawn as he did his business! Anyone remember? The Wilson Ford building was next to us, empty and dilapidated. Madame K's was still on the block. Ballard Hardware was in its original location, and we could go on!

Sadly, the new location will be a bottle shop, without a wine bar.

As part-owners in the building, this is a good move for us. For you, it will be good because we promise to find a new location with improved parking! The only change (and it's a big one) is that our new venue will only have a wine shop, no wine bar. J. Strecker Selections (our wine import company) has taken off, demanding much more of our time. We are looking forward to this change, but in the meantime, it's been a great ride with the wine bar, and it's time to celebrate.

Portalis, 5205 Ballard Ave. NW, Ballard, website, (206) 783-2007