Downtown Pullman eatery to shut down, lists reconstruction as a reason

PULLMAN — One of downtown Pullman’s small businesses will close its doors in the coming weeks.

It’s Poke-Man, an Asian-inspired restaurant on Main Street, announced its last day open will be April 30.

Owner Alexander Woytovech said the closure stemmed from many factors, but the city’s downtown reconstruction project was the final nail in the coffin.

The city began uprooting Main Street the beginning of this month as an effort to rebuild Pullman’s streets, public spaces and utilities between Grand Avenue to Spring Street. Originally anticipated to last three months, the project’s timeline was extended to October this year.

Woytovech said the project has been in the works for years, and along the way business owners had voiced discontent with the plans. They were concerned that street closures and construction noise would draw customers away from downtown. He added while they weren’t against a revitalized downtown, its lengthy construction period made many wary.

It wasn’t until the end of last year, when the city announced prolonging construction, that Woytovech considered other options for the restaurant.

Poke-Man was started at the Lumberyard Food Hall on Grand Avenue in October 2021. After operating for about a year, it moved to its current location on Main.

Woytovech said business has been good and the restaurant has quite a following. He added the community is also supportive.

He said the main reason he decided to close was a lack of space. He said the property owner was unwilling to negotiate rent at the location, and the lease ends in May. If he wanted to re-sign, the new agreement would last two years.

He was unsure what business would look like during construction, and added Pullman can be unpredictable with the fluctuation of the student population.

“Pullman is a very hard town to run a successful business,” Woytovech said. “Most of its population leaves during the summer, and when students come back they don’t spend a ton of money at the beginning of the semester when financial aid is still coming in.”

He said he tried to find another spot in Moscow and Pullman, but most needed extensive renovations or were owned by an organization that didn’t mesh with his values.

“There were months spent trying to find a solution,” Woytovech said. “It’s just that nothing seemed to work out.”

At that point, Woytovech said, he began to consider what closing permanently would entail.

“We decided to take it as a sign,” Woytovech said. “Things happen for a reason.”

He added his business is also tied to Pups and Cups Cafe, owned by his sister CJ Robert, who is also in the process of selling.

In the meantime, Woytovech is working to downsize his inventory and restaurant appliances. Items for sale can be viewed on Poke-Man’s social handles.

Woytovech said he’s fortunate to have support from his family and the community. He added he is grateful to have the ability to close while other downtown businesses don’t have that option.

“Everyone is going to need so much support going through this,” Woytovech said.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com