A familiar building on Bend’s north side is getting a new tenant, and this time the name going up outside will be one that plenty of Oregonians already have hanging in their closets.
Carhartt is preparing to open its first Central Oregon company store in Bend, moving into part of the former Cracker Barrel property at 20512 Robal Lane. The workwear company currently lists a grand opening date of November 12, 2026 on its official store page.
The new store will occupy Suite 110 at the property, giving the longtime workwear brand a permanent retail presence in a part of Oregon where rugged clothing tends to be considerably more practical than fashionable.
Between construction crews, ranchers, landscapers, mechanics, forestry workers and Central Oregonians who spend their weekends somewhere between a trailhead and a snow-covered parking lot, Bend is the kind of place where Carhartt gear rarely looks out of place.
A New Chapter for Bend’s Former Cracker Barrel
For locals who have driven through the north end of Bend over the last several years, the location should be easy to recognize.
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Cracker Barrel previously operated its Bend restaurant at the Robal Lane property before closing in 2023. The building has remained without its former restaurant tenant since then, but plans for its next chapter have gradually taken shape.
Renovation work approved in 2025 included substantial changes inside the former restaurant, including removal of interior walls and fixtures. Portions of the exterior were also slated for alterations, while other improvements prepared the property for multiple future tenants.
Rather than simply turning the entire former restaurant into one large store, plans call for dividing the building into three separate commercial spaces.
One of those spaces is designed to include a drive-through window, opening the possibility for a restaurant, coffee shop or another business that could make use of that configuration.
Plans also include improvements outside the building, including new asphalt around parking and drive-through areas and a roughly 10-foot-wide concrete sidewalk along the storefronts.
Carhartt will take one of those spaces, meaning the old Cracker Barrel property could eventually become a small collection of businesses rather than a single destination.
Signs of Carhartt Are Already Showing Up
The project appears to be moving steadily toward its fall opening.
A sign permit application submitted to the City of Bend on August 6 seeks approval for two illuminated Carhartt wall signs for the storefront. The application was still pending as of August 10.
Perhaps an even clearer indication that opening day is approaching can be found in the company’s hiring activity. Carhartt has begun posting jobs connected to the new Bend location.
The company itself is already advertising the November 12 grand opening on its official Bend store page.
Carhartt Expands Its Oregon Footprint
Founded in Michigan, Carhartt built its reputation around heavy-duty clothing made for people working outdoors and in physically demanding jobs. Its lineup has expanded over the years to include jackets, bibs, pants, boots, shirts, accessories and other gear used for both work and outdoor recreation.
The brand has also developed a following well beyond traditional job sites, but its workwear roots make Central Oregon a particularly natural market.
At the moment, Carhartt's official store directory lists three company stores operating in Oregon: Keizer, Portland and Medford.
The Portland location operates at Cascade Station near Portland International Airport, while the Keizer store is located at Keizer Station north of Salem.
Adding Bend gives the company a presence east of the Cascades and places a store much closer to shoppers throughout Central Oregon who previously had to rely on other retailers carrying the brand or shop directly online.
And considering Bend's combination of construction, outdoor recreation, cold winters and seemingly endless opportunities to get mud on a perfectly good pair of pants, the location makes quite a bit of sense.
Opening Just in Time for a Central Oregon Winter
The timing may work particularly well for the retailer.
A November 12 opening puts Carhartt in Bend shortly before the holiday shopping season and, perhaps more importantly around here, just as Central Oregon starts settling into winter.
That means insulated jackets, work boots, beanies, bibs and cold-weather gear will probably look a little more appealing than they would during a 90-degree afternoon in August.
The arrival also gives new life to a prominent property that has sat without its former anchor since Cracker Barrel left Bend three years ago.
There are still unanswered questions about what businesses will eventually fill the remaining portions of the redeveloped building, including the space configured for a drive-through.
For now, however, at least one piece of the puzzle is officially falling into place.
Carhartt’s Bend store is scheduled to celebrate its grand opening November 12, 2026, at 20512 Robal Lane, Suite 110.
For Central Oregonians who have been driving over the Cascades to visit a Carhartt store, that trip is about to get considerably shorter.
