Nippon Sushi closes to prepare for new Korean chicken restaurant
Nippon Sushi owner says rising costs and opening of other sushi restaurants caused him to change gears
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The owner of a popular Moncton sushi restaurant is starting a new chapter in his business.
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Juhong Kim, owner of Nippon Sushi, said he decided to close the sushi restaurant and open a franchise of a Korean chicken restaurant chain called bb.q Chicken.
Kim said the franchise is building in popularity with 2,000 locations in Korea, 250 in the U.S., and more than 50 in Canada. It will be the first location in Atlantic Canada.
Nippon Sushi was open for 10 years and Kim said he remained busy, but the rising costs of supplies and the opening of other sushi restaurants contributed to his decision to change gears to bb.q Chicken.
“Even if I sold the same revenue I didn’t take in much income on that,” Kim said. “I want to be successful in my business. I want to keep growing.”
When Nippon first opened there were four or five sushi restaurants in the Moncton area, but now there are close to 15.
“I needed to change something,” he said.
What will set bb.q Chicken apart from other fried chicken restaurants in the region is the flavour of Korean chicken, using fresh chicken. There are a variety of sauces with garlic soy being a popular flavour.
“It’s spicy but it can be a little bit salty and a bit sweet,” said Kim.
There will also be other Korean dishes on the menu, said Kim, adding the complete menu has not yet been finalized, but will be announced on social media.
In addition the golf simulator, which has been open in 2016, will remain open. Kim said there are golfers who come in the offseason and he added that fried chicken, drinks and golf are a good combination.
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The restaurant’s last day was March 2 and it will remained closed for renovations for another month. Most of the changes will be to the colours and furnishings of the restaurant’s interior to match the design of the franchise.
Kim said he is grateful to his loyal customers over the years. He looked forward to seeing regulars returning for meals and he has received support since announcing the change.
The last few days for Nippon Sushi were busy with people coming for their last meal. He has heard from many who will be returning to try the chicken.
He recalls the difficult days of the COVID-19 pandemic when dining rooms were closed and having to lay off staff. Kim remembers being the only one packing take out orders and seeing a long lineup of cars waiting for curbside pickup.
“People are so nice and so kind,” he said “They are always trying to help their local businesses.”
Kim said he has seen a growing Asian population in the Moncton area from places like Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines, so he expects BBQ Chicken to be well received, including people who will be trying the Korean style fried chicken for the first time.
“They are growing very fast in North America right now,” he said, noting he has eaten at a bb.q Chicken location when he was in Toronto for a business trip.
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