Airport shops keep local names alive but not their original essence

Portland’s airport now has two new small shops that borrow names from local businesses. One is called Sheridan Fruit Company, named after a grocery that closed in February after 110 years. The other is Topaz Farm, a nod to a farm on Sauvie Island that reopened in 2020 under a new label. Both shops sit near security checkpoints, offering travelers seats, restrooms, and quick snacks—but the experience inside isn’t what it used to be. These stores don’t actually sell what the original businesses were known for. Sheridan Fruit Company’s shelves mostly hold chips, drinks, and phone chargers instead of fresh fruit. Topaz Farm’s space is small and doesn’t reflect the farm’s real products. It’s not the first time Portland’s airport has done this. Another shop past security carries the name of a newspaper that shut down years ago.Why keep the names if the businesses are gone? The airport says it wants to reflect the local community. Most of the airport’s small stores are run by local owners, but some are managed by bigger companies. One of those companies, Paradies Lagardère, helped design the Sheridan shop before its original store closed. That’s why the name stays, even if what’s inside doesn’t match the old Sheridan Fruit Company. Travelers passing through Portland’s terminal might not realize the names they see are just shells of what once was. The airport calls this part of its plan to connect with the city’s culture. But for those who remember the real Sheridan or Topaz Farm, the airport’s version feels like a faded copy.