Poke-Man to close in downtown Pullman; lists construction as a reason

PULLMAN — The last day for Poke-Man on Pullman's Main Street in downtown will be April 30.

Poke-Man's lease for its space at 100 E Main St. C ends in May and negotiations to extend it have not been successful, said Alexander Woytovech, the owner of the restaurant. 

The property owner was unwilling to negotiate rent at the location and if he wanted to re-sign, the new agreement would last two years, Woytovech said.

Making a commitment for that length of time was a stumbling block in no small part because of the city’s downtown reconstruction project, he said. 

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 and other business owners had voiced discontent with the plans even though they support the revitalization. They were concerned that street closures and construction noise would draw customers away from downtown.

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 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,” 

“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