Minneapolis, MN - Eric Shogren was born on January 16, 1966 in Minneapolis, and passed away on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025. He spent his last night having dinner with his wife Olga, their children, and his mother.

He was the son of Bob Shogren, who preceded him in death, and Pat Shogren (86). He grew up in Brooklyn Center alongside his brothers Mike, Bradley, and Brett, and his sister Susan, in a close-knit family and community that formed his values and ambition.

Eric was a devoted husband, a proud father of five, a grandfather, son, brother, a best friend to many, and a force of creativity and generosity in the lives of everyone who knew him. From an early age, Eric had a true entrepreneurial spirit: curious, passionate, fearless, and driven to build things that brought people together. That instinct never left him.

Eric's father coached and helped establish a youth hockey program at Woodhill Country Club, which played a central role in Eric's upbringing and was where some of his most meaningful friendships began. Those early experiences led Eric to attend The Blake School (Class of 1984), where he thrived as an athlete and further developed the entrepreneurial drive that would define his life. The Shogren family is deeply thankful for the families whose kindness opened the doors that helped shape so much of what followed.

It was also at Blake that he became known to almost everyone simply as "Shogie." Eric's senior quote captured his essence and remains strikingly accurate:

"To those who know him, no explanation is necessary; for those who don't, none is possible."

Eric was a giant personality who always did things his own way. Soon after graduating Blake, Eric followed his entrepreneurial instincts and began building businesses, often alongside his brothers Mike and Bradley. Their earliest ventures included Memorable Moments, which became a well-known video highlight business, as well as a successful t-shirt design business. These early projects laid the groundwork for a lifetime of building places and experiences where people came together and celebrated life.

In the early 1990s, Eric met Olga, his lifelong partner. Drawn by opportunity and guided by relationships formed through Blake's connection with Novosibirsk, Eric soon embarked on a bold and defining chapter of his life: Russia. He started with a trading business that supplied much of the luxury automobile market in Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia. Shortly after, they began working in the food industry by collaborating with SuperValu to bring Novosibirsk its first ever supermarket.

In 1994, Eric and Olga made Novosibirsk their home. Eric fell deeply in love with the city and its people, and became personally invested in its future. That same year, they launched New York Pizza, the city's first fast-food pizza restaurant. More than a restaurant, New York Pizza introduced a new kind of dining experience and became a cultural touchstone for Novosibirsk, helping redefine everyday life and shaping the character of a new, post-Soviet urban city. Very quickly, New York Pizza grew to over 30 locations across the country.

Through food, hospitality, and entertainment, Eric continued to introduce American culture to the region with passion and purpose, building businesses that became respected local institutions. His restaurants, bakeries, and other businesses provided jobs, opportunity, and joy to thousands of people. Eric quickly emerged as a leader in the business community, committed not only to building successful ventures, but to improving the quality of life in the city he came to call home.

During moments of crisis, including the 1998 economic collapse, Eric chose to stay. He built teams of incredible talent and loyalty, and while many left, he worked alongside local leaders and international partners, believing that responsibility to people mattered more than circumstances. Even in the hardest moments, he kept building.

Throughout the 2000s, Eric played a transformative role in shaping Novosibirsk's modern cultural and commercial landscape. He founded Kuzina, which became one of Russia's leading bakery businesses; modernized the largest movie theater in Russia; opened the city's first four-star French restaurant, Classica; and established the iconic nightclub New York Times, located next door to his classic American New York Diner. Eric and Olga also built the region's first Western-style home, which became a lasting model for others.

After the success of these early ventures, Eric continued to think ambitiously, expanding his food and hospitality work to include large-scale projects aimed at strengthening local agriculture and infrastructure. The global financial crisis of 2008 devastated many of these efforts, but once again, Eric focused on rebuilding, standing by his teams, and contributing to Novosibirsk's cultural and economic growth.

Throughout his life, Eric's resilience remained constant. What endured most was his impact: businesses that continue to operate, communities that grow stronger, and people whose lives were shaped by Eric's belief in what was possible. Today, Kuzina and New York Pizza continue on, led by the dedicated teams Eric brought together and trusted over the last 30 years.

Above all else, Eric's greatest creation was his family. Together, Eric and Olga built a remarkable and incredibly fulfilling life. They raised five children: Anna, Alexander, Anastasia, Maxim, and Lev. He was endlessly proud of them—not only for what they achieved, but for who they have become. He took great joy in watching them grow, and later, in welcoming his first grandchild, Rafael Eric, whose arrival brought him profound happiness.

As Eric transitioned to spending more time in Minneapolis in his later years, he sought to leverage his deep experience in food and hospitality to contribute to his hometown. He and Olga purchased the legendary neighborhood bakery, A Baker's Wife, and later partnered with the Wuollet family in an effort to continue and honor the legacy of one of Minneapolis's most beloved bakery businesses, and a handful of other local bakeries. In the final years of his life, Eric devoted his energy to growing and developing these businesses. He was an innovator at heart and consistently created places that brought people joy, grounded in his belief that great food builds community.

Eric is survived by his mother, Pat Shogren; his wife, Olga; his children Anna,

Alexander, Anastasia, Maxim, and Lev; his grandchild, Rafael Eric; his siblings and extended family, friends, and colleagues across the world.

A celebration of Eric's life will be held at a later date. In the face of loss, he would want this story to stand as a reminder of what mattered most to him: family, loyalty, friendship, and the belief he always instilled in his children that "the sky is the limit".

Eric always did things his own way. He was a force of nature—and the world is fuller because he was in it.