PORTLAND, Ore. — A quirky business in downtown Portland, known for creating fancier versions of classic campfire s’mores is closed for business.
Based on a company letter sent to customers, the 1927 S’mores Company and its Portland S’mores Bar will be closed until further notice.
Several brides who booked the business for their upcoming weddings were shocked to receive an email on Sept. 13 from the former chief operating officer at the business, Rod Patterson, informing them their orders were canceled.
“My fiancé is really into sweets,” explained Shanndi Bywater, a bride who had a pre-wedding taste test at the S’mores Bar two weeks ago. “He loves ice cream, and this was something we can compromise and agree on. We love s’mores. We thought it would be perfect for our wedding.”
Bywater and her fiancé Vijay Parthasarathy thought everything was arranged for their Sept. 2025 wedding. Bywater likes to be organized early, but she says she feels awful for several other brides who posted on Facebook, saying they are scrambling to find another option before their weddings in the coming weeks.
“It leaves me with a rock in my stomach for future planning,” said Bywater. “Should I go with something smaller, or something bigger? Go corporate, I guess?”
Bywater and Parthasarathy are out $300 at this point, which was their deposit.
Another bride, Ashley Fisher from Bend is out $450 but says others are out even more.
“My thing, I’m just angry,” said Fisher. “I feel we’ve been duped, and now we’re stepping backward, and they’re saying we now have to look for a vender again. It’s put me on edge about working with other vendors. Is this going to happen again?”
The company owner, James Kelly, did not return calls to KGW but sent an email with his company logo, but no signature.
The email includes this bold statement: "…we are further saddened to share that at this moment in time we don't have the ability to perform events or reimburse deposits."
The company’s former COO in Portland, Rod Patterson, who lost his job, told KGW there were signs as long as a couple months ago that the company was having some troubles.
“Once we started to see red flags, and I asked if we should stop booking, and they said yes,” said Patterson. "So, that's when I reached out to new bookings and those inquiries, and say we are not taking new bookings currently."
“This team and I, myself, care so much,” said Patterson. “It’s the worst possible outcome.”
In the company’s email to customers, shared with KGW by Bywater, the author says the company will have to raise enough money to relaunch the business. The email, which was not signed by the owner, included assurances customers would be kept informed of the progress.