Paul Mallory, the co-founder, smiling face and sharp wit behind beloved downtown Portland restaurant Higgins, has died, family and friends confirmed Friday. He was 71.
In a message posted to social media late Thursday, chef Greg Higgins called Mallory the “quiet force behind so much of what made Higgins what it is.”
“From day one, he poured his soul into this restaurant,” Higgins wrote. “His humor, smarts, loyalty and unwavering belief in our mission made Higgins possible. He cared for our staff like family, and offered a warm welcome to everyone who crossed our threshold. He stood beside me through every high and low—and there were many. I truly could not have asked for a better partner in this life’s work.”
Mallory first teamed up with Higgins in 1994, when the duo opened their restaurant at the corner of Southwest Broadway and Jefferson Street. Higgins soon became a standard-bearer for Portland’s growing farm-to-table food scene, championing quality Oregon produce, scratch-made cooking and local craft beer and wine.
In July, the business partners sent out a Hail Mary newsletter, announcing that the 31-year-old restaurant was “on the brink” of closing. That night, the dining room and bar went from mostly empty to fully booked with longtime fans that sustained Higgins throughout the typically slow late-summer months.
The crew that helped start Higgins in 1994, including co-owners Paul Mallory (seated atop banquette at center left) and chef and co-owner Greg Higgins (seated in chair at center left).The Oregonian/file
“As a group, we’re used to getting punched in the mouth and then getting it under control, but this was like wrestling a beast,” Mallory told The Oregonian/Oregonlive in September. “We did these kinds of numbers 30 years ago, but we were also 30 years younger. Now we’ve got a little more experience, but a little less horsepower.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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