DENVER (KDVR) — Arvada locals are heartbroken after a beloved sushi spot, Namiko’s, announced on Tuesday it would be closing its doors this week after substantial personal and financial struggles.
Namiko’s Sushi and Japanese Restaurant was Yuri Chandonnet’s dream. When she opened the restaurant in 1989, she named the restaurant Namiko’s after her 13-year-old daughter.
“She wanted me to be financially stable. She wanted me to have someplace to call my own when she passed on,” said her daughter, Namiko Eshima. “She had been working in restaurants pretty much all of her life. Growing up in Japan. She knew that a restaurant is very hard work. She also knew that if she did a really good job, that it would be something that I’d be able to make a living from and take care of a family.”
Eshima took over the restaurant in 2017 after her mother passed away and has been trying to keep the family business running ever since.
Locals and regulars dined at this restaurant for 35 years. It was the place where people got engaged and celebrated anniversaries, said Eshima. The restaurant was adored by the Arvada community.
What killed business was the pandemic.
“We suffered the same shutdowns as everybody else, but being a sushi restaurant, it really is one of those things where you want to eat sushi and you want to eat it right away, you don’t want to eat it out of the box,” said Eshima.
Her sales dropped 70%-75% during the pandemic. The restaurant survived COVID, but in the following years, the restaurant never recovered.
Her financial advisor told her to get out after the pandemic, but she wanted to keep her mother’s dream alive. It was her family business.
Eshima put everything she had into it. After the pandemic, Eshima used her mother’s inheritance to keep the business afloat. At the beginning of 2023, Eshima sold her house and put all the proceeds towards the restaurant, but it still needed more. So, Eshima took out a $100k loan.
“I really put myself in that financial disaster zone leveraging everything I have to keep this place open,” said Eshima.
Eshima fought to keep the restaurant open, but after she was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2023, she made the final decision to close the restaurant.
After Eshima posted on Facebook that the restaurant was closing, regulars stopped by on Tuesday. They dined, cried and shared stories from Namiko’s, said Eshima.
Over 100 comments flooded the Facebook page. Here are a few of them:
“I am so sad to read this. I have been happily eating there for 27 years. The best sushi in town. I am so sorry, Nami, that you are facing another battle. I know how hard this decision is for you. You have worked hard to honor your mother. She was an amazing lady. May the Lord show you mercy. We will miss you very much,” commented Elizabeth on the Facebook post.
“This is so heartbreaking! I’m so sorry you have to fight this battle. My husband and I had our first date there and every anniversary since then. For a very long time you have all been a part of our family. Thank you for everything and we will all try to come down Friday! Good luck!” commented Amanda.
“Wishing you all the best in your fight and your next journey. Namiko’s has always held a special place in our family, ever since we moved to Arvada 30 years ago. We will miss you,” commented Stella.
Eshima’s running the restaurant until inventory sells out, which should be on Friday or Saturday, Eshima predicts.
Since Eshima’s Facebook post, the restaurant has been packed. Reservations for Wednesday night are fully booked as it’s the last week Namiko’s is open.
Eshima declined low offers to buy out the restaurant. She is closing the doors and walking away from the business.
With the restaurant closing, Eshima is focusing on her health. She has a spotfund to help with her medical costs.
“Growing up in this community and watching people grow, grow their families and graduate from high school and come back and get married and have children and I’ve been lucky enough to see all of that. I just really appreciate our community and all of our customers,” said Eshima.
