Industry foodservice Owner Circle Peak Capital Number of employees 4,500 (2007) | Revenue $97.6 million (2006) Website sharis.com Type of business private | |
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Key people Bruce MacDiramid CEO, President Headquarters Beaverton, Oregon, United States Founded 1978, Hermiston, Oregon, United States Profiles | ||
Shari s restaurants strategic energy management
Shari's Restaurants is a chain of family dining restaurants in the western United States. Shari's is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Shari's currently has 98 locations in California, Idaho, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Shari's features a distinctive hexagonal building design for most of its restaurant locations. The original restaurant was opened in Hermiston, Oregon in 1978. Its corporate offices are located in the Progress area of Beaverton, Oregon. Since approximately the middle of 2011–2012, the chain has updated its logo and bills itself on signs and in media as "Shari's Cafe & Pies".
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History
Shari’s began in Hermiston, Oregon in 1978 with Ron and Sharon Bergquist as proprietors. The two ran the company for seven years. By 1999 Shari’s was the ninth largest family restaurant chain in the United States based on total sales, and sixth in growth.
In March 1999, the chain was acquired by Fairmont Capital Inc. for $60 million. At that time Shari’s operated 96 locations in seven states with 4,000 employees and $128 million in annual revenue. They were still the ninth largest family chain in 2003.
Shari’s lost a gender discrimination lawsuit in April 2005 and was ordered to pay $122,225 in damages. Then, in December 2005, the company was purchased by New York private investment firm Circle Peak Capital.
President Larry Curtis retired in July 2008 after 24 years with Shari's. Bruce MacDiarmid joined Shari’s with extensive experience in the restaurant industry. In addition to Black Angus Steakhouse, he has held positions at Chevys Fresh Mex Restaurants as well as with the Paragon Restaurant Group, whose concepts included Carlos Murphy’s, Rusty Pelican and Hungry Hunter.
In 2009, Shari's Restaurants took ownership of and converted a number of Northern California Baker's Square restaurants to operate under the Shari's name.
Restaurant design
Shari's restaurants are notable for their patented hexagonal design. The Bergquists originally sought to sell their patented idea to another company, but when they were unable to find a restaurant company willing to buy they started their own chain in Hermiston. Most Shari's restaurants are built to this design; it places the kitchen in the center of the restaurant, provides easy access for waiters and waitresses to serve customers, and increases the number of tables next to a window.
Historically, upon entering a Shari's restaurant the dining area was divided by half, with one half on either side of the entrance. One side would allow smoking and the other would be non-smoking. Today the restaurants are non-smoking; however some Shari's restaurants have opened up video lottery rooms (some of which allow smoking) which occupy a portion of the former dining room and are walled off.