Popular downtown restaurant latest in a string of longtime favorites to close, but this time with reopening in the offing

By Damian Mann for Ashland.news

Ashland’s popular Pie + Vine restaurant has ceased operations, and a new owner is taking over the premises to offer a different culinary option in the downtown restaurant scene.

“Some locals approached us about the restaurant, and it was an opportunity for us to move on,” said co-owner Lisa Beam, who runs a number of restaurants in Ashland with her husband, Tom. “I’m excited to see those folks bring their vision there.”

Beam said she and her husband had intended to keep operating Pie + Vine, which offered Italian pasta dishes and pizza, but decided to accept the offer with a only a month to close the deal.

“The paperwork got signed on the 31st,” Beam said. “It was definitely a compressed timeline.”

The offer was received in December 2024.

She said she couldn’t disclose the new owners’ names or the name of the new restaurant.

“They’re going to launch when they’re ready,” Beam said. “We’re excited to see those folks bring their vision there.”

The Beams first opened the restaurant at 358 E Main St. as Pasta Piatti in 2004.

Beam said the change to Pie + Vine, which was partially made to complement their new wine-making venture, took place in 2016.

Even with Pie + Vine behind them, the Beams have other restaurants throughout town, such as Skout Taphouse, Tabu, Burrito Republic and Falafel Republic.

Skout was previously Sesame Asian Kitchen, and Beam said the change was made because she and her husband aren’t afraid to strike out on new ventures.

“If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” she said.

Pasta Piatti was the first restaurant opened by the couple in Ashland, followed by Sesame in 2008.

About half their lives have been spent running Pasta Piatti and then Pie + Vine, Beam said.

Beam has been on the Ashland Food Co-op board, and the couple have been involved in other community organizations, such as the Ashland Chamber of Commerce and the Mt. Ashland Ski Area.

Beam said the closure had nothing to do with tough economic times that have faced other Ashland restaurants.

She did say that, in general, it’s difficult to succeed with a restaurant.

“The reality is, it’s probably the hardest industry as far as success rates go,” she said.

Ashland has had a rash of recent restaurant closures, with various issues cited such as COVID, fewer tourists, the Ashland meals tax, and a general downturn in business.

On Aug. 18, 2024, the Black Sheep Pub & Restaurant, which provided space for a weekly Celtic jam session for local musicians, closed after 30 years. The Black Sheep was listed for sale at $120,000.

Cucina Biazzi, an Italian restaurant, closed its doors Aug. 30, 2024, and Standing Stone Brewery, which opened in 1997, closed in 2022. The Noble Fox Restaurant & Brewery opened in the old Standing Stone space in April 2024.

On its restaurant website, the Beams announced Pie + Vine would cease operations: “After nearly 21 years of creating cherished memories together, we are announcing the closing of our restaurant. We are humbled by the support and the relationships we’ve built within our community. We will forever cherish the laughter, the celebrations, and the simple joys shared within these walls. Thank you for making these past 21 years so special. We will miss you dearly.”

Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at [email protected].

Jan. 3: Corrected name of one of the additional restaurants owned by the Beams.

Jan. 5: Updated to remove implication that Noble Fox’s opening had something to do with Cucina Biazzi’s closure.