24 March 2008

[or_life] Northwest Trivia: Shari's Restaurants

1438. Shari's has been a dependable friend-of-the-family since before I was married to The Wife™. Courtesy the corporate website, I found out some things that I didn't know, that I didn't know I always wanted to know:



  • The chain was born in 1978 in Hermiston, founded by Ron and Sharon Bergquist.

  • The second location was opened in Sherwood within a year when the Hermiston location came a success.

  • The distinctive floorplan with the hexagonal footprint is actually patented. with the kitchen in the center it is meant to provide for very efficient workflows, ease of overseeing for the wait staff, and the maximum amount of window-seatage (yes, "seatage" is too a word. Says me.)

  • The chain recently opened its 99th location ... in Roseburg.

  • Shari's is largely in Oregon and Washington but has locations in California, Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska.

  • The chain is named for the founder's wife, Sharon, who goes by the nick of "Shari".


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6 comments:

Unknown said...

I love Shari's. I love that you can order the full menu any time of day and honestly, the food is usually pretty good. :-) (who doesn't like eggs benedict as a hangover cure at 3 am, right?)

I'm very happy my hometown is finally getting one - and some much needed competition for the only late night diner in town, *gag* Denny's.

Samuel John Klein said...

I agreee with you in the main. And a 24-hour Shari's is a bodacious thing to have, and no mistake.

Just I wish they'd bring back regular chili. White bean chicken chili? Bleah.

Actually, what is funny is when a menu choice misfires. They should have never had calamari, for instance.

But the rest of it? Great! Angus beef ... and I highly recommend the wraps.

Eggs benedict? I'd have to be drunk to eat that ... but that's just my opinion!

stan said...

Every seat's a booth! (Excepting the barstools.)

I've been calling Shari's "The House of Hexagon" for years now. I can remember finishing high school in Oregon City at a time when the Berry Hill Shopping Center was just being built at Beavercreek Rd. & OR 213, complete with a new Shari's. In O.C., there wasn't really much of anything to do around town, so I can remember many nights hanging out at the HoH, sipping down some of the best hot chocolate I'd ever had.

Now that I know there's a Shari's in my new neighbor Nebraska, it's tempting to invent a reason for a road trip!

Samuel John Klein said...

I love 24-hour places like that. My love of coffee was born at a Sharis-ish 24 spot in downtown Corvallis, called "The Big O". I ca certainly relate.

"House of Hexagon"... LOL. Sounds like you'll find Shaolin monks doing the cooking and serving.

Now that I know there's a Shari's in my new neighbor Nebraska, it's tempting to invent a reason for a road trip!

Wow. Good luck with THAT!

Unknown said...

It'd be nice to have a Shari's closer to "Seattle" for sure. I think the closest ones are all on the 'east side.'

Hey, if you don't like eggs bennie, to each his own. LOL

:-)

Samuel John Klein said...

@ Ben:

Well, the nearest one that the website says to Seattle is in Kirkland.

While a drive across the floating bridge may be righteous, and Sharis is bodacious to be certain, I don't see driving fifteen miles to go to one. But then, I have one within three miles of me, so there we are then.

Hey, if you don't like eggs bennie, to each his own. LOL.

Trust me, it's just me on that. All of my friends are mad keen on it. Also deviled eggs. Can't stand the smell, but everyone else in my world just devour them.

I wonder if I'm an alien (the UFO type, not the illegal type) and just don't know it.