Shari’s Café & Pies — a regional family-dining chain known for its hexagon-shaped building and Northwest-style comfort food — appears to be done for good in the state of Oregon. After facing significant financial challenges this year, and dwindling its 42 locations down to 17, the chain abruptly closed its remaining Oregon locations on Oct. 20, according to multiple media outlets and an email sent to all remaining employees.
“Despite extensive and exhaustive efforts and hope still, for a different outcome, we will be closing all remaining open Shari’s restaurants in the state of Oregon,” Sam Borgese, CEO of Shari’s Management Corp., said in the letter. “I personally thank the Shari’s employees, especially those that during the past 14 monthsworked tirelessly to overcome the constant challenges of an ever-changing and uncertain business environment.”
Shari’s was founded in 1978, and, at its peak, had 95 locations across six states, mostly in the northwestern quadrant of the United States. At one time, Shari’s claimed to be the largest casual=dining chain based in the Northwest. The chain is closely connected with the Oregon Lottery, because a large percentage of the state’s lottery sales are made inside the restaurants. According to KGW News, Shari’s made $34.7 million in video lottery sales in 2023.
“All of them are closed as of today,” Oregon Lottery spokesman Matt Shelby told Willamette Week. “We just learned that.”
Over the past 14 months, Shari’s faced unpaid bills, back taxes, and eviction notices, and kept closing restaurants one by one. In 2023, a private investment firm invested in Shari’s parent company, Gather HoldingsLLC, which was supposed to help with video lottery operations and ensure that the company could continue recovering from COVID-19 pandemic-related losses. Despite the cash infusion, Shari’s continued to struggle.
Following the mass closure of the locations in Shari’s home state, the restaurant chain appears to still have some restaurants open in California, Washington, and Idaho, according to Oregon Live.
“Shari’s was an Oregon institution, and a long time Lottery retailer,” Lottery director Mike Wells wrote in a letter to staff. “I’m sure many of you have memories of late-night comfort food, Sunday breakfast, or tasty pies.”
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