Two more late-night restaurants have closed in Tacoma

Tacoma has lost two more late-night restaurants, including one of the only remaining 24-hour options.

Shari’s Cafe and Pies at 2323 S. Union Ave. in the Tacoma Central plaza — also home to Target, PetSmart and T.J. Maxx — has closed, as has the Denny’s at 5924 6th Ave., just west of Pearl Street and the Route 16 interchange.

The latter was open 24 hours. When Bertolino’s Espresso shuttered in June 2020, due in large part to the owners’ desire to downsize, Tacomans lamented the void it left for students seeking a late study session and workers leaving their overnight shift or starting a super-early one.

Though Shari’s was long known for its all-day hours, many locations, including the Union Avenue store, had dialed back to 11 p.m. or midnight last calls. They are also known for their 365-days-a-year service.

SHARI’S CAFE TACOMA

The phone line at Shari’s still connects to the restaurant, but attempts to talk with an employee via the choices on the automated selection tool abruptly ends the call. It is listed as permanently closed on Google.

The company did not respond to The News Tribune’s emails or phone calls to the corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

About 15 miles away in Puyallup, the Shari’s at 107 37th Avenue closed last August, according to a recording on the restaurant’s phone.

Shari’s South Tacoma location remains open at 1933 S. 72nd St., as does the Summit Country store at 10904 Canyon Road E. in Puyallup. The group also operates stores in Federal Way and Kent.

Founded in 1978, Shari’s began in Hermiston, Oregon, as a family-owned diner known for its unique hexagon-shaped buildings, with the kitchen at the center. By 1999, it had 96 restaurants in seven states and estimated annual revenue around $130 million, according to a Seattle Times report — figures that tugged it to the Top 10 of privately-held, family-focused restaurant chains in the country.

Since 2016, it has been under the auspices of CapitalSpring, a private equity firm that also holds a majority stake in Norms Restaurants, an iconic Los Angeles-based diner.

Today, there are still more than 80 Shari’s Cafes in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska. In 2018, Carrows Restaurants and Coco’s Bakery, both originally based in California, became subsidiaries of the Shari’s chain.

DENNY’S TACOMA

Near the busy intersection of Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street, intersecting with state Route 16, this Tacoma Denny’s was an all-day vestige for Grand Slams and endless cups of joe.

It’s listed as permanently closed on Google, where it says the hours were last updated Jan. 21.

A phone call to the restaurant rings but eventually cuts out. The decision to close this location “did not come easily,” the company said by email, adding appreciation for employees. The response did not address reasons for the closure.

Most Denny’s are owned by franchisees. According to Washington state records, Suprio Banerjee and Shahidul Haque operated this location under the name The Excite Enterprises LLC since 2004. They also own the Denny’s at 8614 Hosmer St. S., which remains open, but in 2018 closed their Lakewood location at 6112 100th St. SW.

Lakewood still has a Denny’s, though, at 11755 Pacific Highway SW, at the intersection of Bridgeport Way.

Their Department of Revenue records list their mailing address in Northridge, California.

Per sales listed with the Pierce County Assessor, they purchased the property where the restaurant sits in 2020 and sold it last December to a company associated with Scott Atkison of Spokane, who owns a controlling interest in Zips Cannabis.

Editor’s Note 01/27/2022, 2 p.m.: This story has been updated with comment from Denny’s corporate public relations team.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated which Denny’s remains open in Lakewood, Washington. It is the restaurant at 11755 Pacific Highway SW.

This story was originally published January 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM.