Shari’s Restaurants in financial trouble, records show [Video]

PORTLAND, Oregon — Shari’s is an institution in the Pacific Northwest. The family-style restaurants are known for their award-winning pies and late-night meals. But court filings and public records indicate the Beaverton-based chain is now facing tough times; including unpaid bills, back taxes and eviction notices. At least seven Shari’s restaurants in Washington and Idaho have closed unexpectedly in the past five months.

Sara Thomas, president of Charlton Marketing, said Shari’s Management Corporation owes the small Portland ad agency more than $100,000 for its work on a marketing campaign last year.

“I’ve had to lay off staff. I’ve had to really look at my bottom line,” said Thomas. “To Shari’s, I don’t know how much money that means to them, but to us it means a lot.”

Other vendors, including …