PORTLAND, Ore. – If you ever spent a late night at Shari’s, chain-smoking cigarettes and nursing bottomless coffee refills in the ‘90s, this one stings. Shari’s Café & Pies—once a beacon of 24-hour comfort food, a haven for night owls, weary travelers, and high school kids sneaking out past curfew—has officially vanished from Oregon.
It’s hard to believe, but in October 2024, all 42 Oregon locations abruptly shut down. The chain, founded in 1978, was a staple for generations, serving up diner classics and, of course, those legendary pies. But financial troubles caught up with Shari’s parent company, Gather Holdings, leading to eviction notices, unpaid bills, and mounting tax issues that ultimately pulled the plug on the business.
Now, the places that once buzzed with life—where truckers swapped stories over steak and eggs, and insomniacs lingered over lukewarm hashbrowns—are empty shells waiting for new owners. At least five former Shari’s locations are up for sale or lease:
- Shari’s PDX – Portland International Airport, 11335 NE Airport Way
- Shari’s Troutdale – 557 NW Phoenix Drive
- Shari’s Pendleton – 319 SE Nye Avenue
- Shari’s The Dalles – 503 Mt Hood Street
- Shari’s Corvallis – 1117 NW 9th Street
The sale is being handled by Commercial Integrity NW—but it’s hard to imagine anything replacing the spirit of those all-night coffee marathons and the booths that held our deepest 2 a.m. conversations.
For now, Shari’s locations in Washington remain untouched, but here in Oregon, an era has ended. Who would have thought we’d see the day when the lights at Shari’s would go dark for good?
