Six months after its shocking closure, Jinju Patisserie is making its comeback. Co-owners Jin Caldwell and Kyurim “Q” Lee have confirmed that the award-winning Portland bakery will reopen at 3494 N Williams Avenue, just a few blocks south of its original location. They are targeting an opening in early October after relocating to a new space inside the Carbon12 building.
The reopening comes less than a year after the bakery closed its first Portland storefront. The decision surprised many customers, especially because JinJu had recently been named America’s Most Outstanding Bakery at the 2025 James Beard Awards, one of the highest honors in the culinary industry. It turns out that they had to choose between a lease renewal at the original spot or a fresh start. Caldwell and Lee decided to step back to find a better place.
The pair trained in Las Vegas before moving to Portland and quickly opened Jinju in 2019, building a loyal following for their crackling croissants, delicate bonbons, and seasonal pastries. The North Williams corridor has long been one of Portland’s most vibrant dining strips, and Jinju’s return is sure to be one of the most anticipated openings of the year. They spent this break traveling to Japan and Korea, visiting family and seeking inspiration from local bakeries, according to The Oregonian.
The new home is inside Carbon 12, a striking timber-and-steel building at the corner of North Williams Avenue and Fremont Street that held the title of the tallest mass-timber building in the United States when it was completed in 2018. The space was occupied previously by Harder Day Coffee Shop.
