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BOSSES of a casual dining chain have closed down another one of its restaurants and diners were met with a note on the door.
The Shari’s Café and Pies establishment in Keizer, Oregon – around 45 miles from Portland – has abruptly closed.
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It is just the latest Shari’s restaurant to close across this year, per The Salem Statesman Journal.
Shari’s chiefs have not revealed a reason why the restaurant closed.
But, the restaurant had reportedly struggled with the after-effects of Covid and had seen a high turnover, per the Keizer Times.
The restaurant had been a constant in the city for almost 30 years, having opened in 1996.
A note on the door thanked customers for visiting over the years.
They were told to visit the chain’s other establishment in Salem, Oregon – around nine miles from the now closed-down restaurant.
News of the closure has left some fans devastated.
“Should’ve waited till after Thanksgiving,” one fan said.
Others reminisced that they used to visit the restaurant during their childhood.
Social media users also took the opportunity to suggest what they would like to see replace the restaurant chain.
One touted the idea of a Waffle House opening while another joked that the location would be “perfect” for a Denny’s restaurant.
The U.S. Sun has approached Shari’s for comment.
Shari’s, a Denny’s competitor, has been part of the American dining scene for almost 50 years.
But the chain has undergone changes in recent years.
Restaurant closures in 2024
BOSSES at major dining chains have announced a series of restaurant closures. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of the chain’s affected.
- Cracker Barrel: Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed.
- Mod Pizza: Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California.
- Frisch’s Big Boy: Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
- Outback Steakhouse: The chain will shutter 41 ‘underperforming’ locations this year.
- Two Bucks: Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April.
- Chili’s: A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California, and one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
- Friendly’s: Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close.
- Pizza Hut: A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana. This was followed in July by a bankruptcy filing from its parent company which announced the closure of 150 locations.
- Carl’s Jr.: The first Boise, Idaho location has closed.
- In-N-Out: An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
- Cheesecake Factory: The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July.
- Applebee’s: Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year.
- Red Lobster: The seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May and shuttered over 100 locations.
- Taco John’s: Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May.
- Frisco’s Chicken: The poultry restaurant shuttered all of its locations over the summer
- Rubio’s Coastal Grill: Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy.
- Burger King: Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
- Foster’s Freeze: Shuttered a location in California after five decades in business due to financial struggles.
- Chicken Salad Chick: After nine years the restaurant shuttered one location in Jacksonville, Florida, with no reason given.
- México Lindo: The New York City-based restaurant announced its final day after 52 years and finally shuttered its doors for good on July 31.
- American Dream Pizza: Closed all of its locations in Oregon in July.
- Tender Greens: The Southern California-based chain filed for bankruptcy.
- Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill: Abruptly shuttered 18 locations in July due to a family feud.
- Firehouse Subs: Shuttered a location in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State over the summer citing “unforeseen circumstances”
- Taco Time: The Taco Bell rival shuttered a location in Seattle after 50 years following a death in the franchise owner’s family.
- Burgerim: Shuttered a location in Burlington, Massachusetts in July, reigniting bankruptcy fears from 2020.
- Denny’s: The chain has shuttered over 40 locations so far this year with the owner of the one outlet blaming vandalism.
- Starbucks: The chain shuttered one of its most iconic locations in New York City after almost three decades with fans blaming crime. It also lost a location in Seattle.
- Subway: In August, the sandwich chain shuttered over 20 locations across the US and Canada after a franchisee lost money after being a victim of fraud.
- IHOP: A restaurant in New Hampshire shut its doors after 24 years, leaving four locations in the state.
- Switchback Coffee Roasters: The popular chain filed for bankruptcy in August after over a decade in business.
- Jimmy John’s: The sandwich shop chain shuttered a location in Nevada on August 19 after 12 years citing overexpansion issues.
- KFC: Closed the remaining three locations in Rockford, Illinois all on the same day on August 19. In total, it closed six locations across four cities in Illinois.
- Rusty Bucket: The chicken shop chain confirmed it would officially leave Florida as it announced a handful of closures including in Sarasota and Ohio.
- Buca di Beppo: The Olive Garden rival abruptly shuttered 44 locations across five states before filing for bankruptcy.
- Red Robin: Announced the closure of its Ashburn, Virginia location on August 25 after 15 years in business.
- Noodles & Company: Shuttered dozens of locations due to their contribution to around $2 million worth of losses.
- Shoney’s: The classic American-style food chain founded in 1947 officially exited Ohio after three decades of business as it reduced its operational footprint.
- Homegrown: The sandwich chain based in Seattle announced the closure of 10 locations leaving 150 employees in the lurch.
- World of Beer: Filed for bankruptcy after closing 14 outlets.
- Arby’s: The chain announced a number of closures this year including in Lexington, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio,
- Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Shuttered a location in New Jersey in July, leaving just two in the state, followed by the closure of a Baltimore location in August.
- Hart House: Shutterd all four locations in California in September just two years after the vegan fast-food restaurant chain was launched by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.
In 2017, there were almost 100 locations but this figure has been whittled down to around 60.
Last month, it was reported the chain was in financial trouble.
The chain has been battling a raft of issues – ranging from unpaid bills to eviction notices.
The company has been involved in several debt collection cases dating back to 2020, as reported by The News Tribune.
In July, bosses closed the chain’s final Tacoma, Washington, restaurant.
Earlier this year, execs decided to close the chain’s restaurant in Boise, Idaho, after 30 years of trade.
Shari’s is just one of several restaurant chains that have grappled or experienced financial struggles.
Dozens of Red Lobster restaurants have gone to the wall this year after bankruptcy papers were filed.
The chain faced a fight for survival but it has since exited bankruptcy.
Red Lobster’s new CEO, Damola Adamolekun, has said the restaurant company is “more resilient.”
The popular chain Hooters has also closed dozens of restaurants while Denny’s execs are reportedly planning to shut between 10 and 20 establishments this year.
