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Nearly three years after its expansion, Bernal Heights’ Ichi Sushi + Ni Bar is closing its current location (3282 Mission St.) and downsizing into its original space at 3369 Mission St. Unfortunately chef/owner Tim Archuleta has had a “significant health scare” that included being on a feeding tube, and he is preparing for another surgery to address the problem. In lieu of that, he and partner Erin Archuleta are reassigning priorities and choosing to focus on the smaller location. Here’s their statement in full:
After Tim suffered a significant health scare, we are returning us to our roots and moving ICHI back into our little space at 3369 Mission. We are grateful to our talented team who helped us win local, regional, national and international acclaim, and we will keep many of our beloved crew with us. We are also actively searching to secure placement for the rest of our skillful team.
Our final night of service in our 3282 Mission Street space will be New Year's Eve — a party for the books! And, we're planning to reopen in our 3369 Mission Street space just after the New Year.
This move will allow Tim to get back behind the sushi counter and to reconnect with all our guests. Our gorgeous space at 3282 will go on the market with our friends at CGI Retail and we're excited to offer it up to a new generation of small business owners.
We've been so grateful for the support we've received from our friends and guests over the last few months, and look forward to Tim getting back to the sushi counter soon when he is on the mend. Food, restaurants, and the community bring us all together, and through Tim's recovery, our guests have been incredible. We never forget how loved we are and we are thrilled to return the favor and care for everyone back in our original sushi bar, where Tim is looking forward to reciprocating that hospitality.
We're accepting reservations at our current venue via ichisushi.com and OpenTable. We'll also be accepting reservations for the return to 3369 Mission in the new year on our website and Open Table, as well.
The situation has been a “huge financial burden” for the Archuleta’s, and so they have set up a GoFundMe page for help. Head here if you’d like to donate, and stay tuned for more details.
