Josh Amergian is launching a new food truck called Papa (website, instagram). He has bought the former Mami food truck and is renovating it to meet the needs of the new business. Amergian plans to launch in late summer 2021 and his long term plans for Papa include opening a brick and mortar restaurant in Gray where he lived as a child.
Amergian has worked in the restaurant industry for most of the past 12 years including a four year stint with Cara Stadler. The concept for Papa is “neighborhood eats”. You can see some examples of what that might mean by taking a look at the Papa instagram account.
The business name is a reference to Amergian’s own father who’s example he credits as his motivation and inspiration who being in the industry. “I loved cooking with him at the stores as a kid and as a teenager…I would like to think that us boys are his legacy so I’m paying it forward and turning his into my own.”
The Amergian family has owned restaurant and shops in Portland for several generations,
[M]y father bought a pizza/sandwich shop [in Gray]. It was called Dry Mills Store. He owned it for 11 years from 1992-2003. He’s owned a few stores around Portland in the 70’s 80’s and early 90’s. He’s a third generation grocer. He owned Amergian’s Market on Danforth street taking over for my grandfather, owned Amergian’s variety on oxford street and then the old port general store on market street which is now Pats Pizza and he also owned a bar/Laundry mat on Milk St called Bubbles and brew.
Update: while this project has been delayed it is still moving forward. See this instagram post for the latest info.