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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Quick Service Restaurant |
| Genre | Japanese cuisine |
| Founded | 1987; 38 years ago (1987) Boston,Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Founder | James Chim |
| Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 181 (September 1, 2021)[1] |
Area served | United States Colombia |
| Products | Teppanyaki andsushi |
| Website | www |
Sarku Japan is an American-Canadianquick serve restaurant chain focusing onJapanese cuisine. Founded in 1987, the chain has grown to include over 180 locations in 32 states across the country, as of September 2021.[2]
The vast majority of the chain's restaurants are located inshopping mallfood courts, however a number of street locations can be found inGeorgia,Maryland,New Jersey,New York andVirginia.[2]
Sarku Japan's menu is composed predominantly ofteriyaki dishes (chicken, beef and shrimp), though it also offersbento boxes,dumplings,tempura and a variety ofsushi rolls.[3]
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The first Sarku Japan was opened by James Chim inBoston, Massachusetts, in 1987.[4][5] Chim had previously worked as an executive at the Canadian quick-serve restaurant chainManchu Wok, during which time he became inspired to open his own restaurant.[5]
The restaurant proved to be successful and by 1991 had grown to a chain of over 25 stores in eight states, including as far away asColorado andTexas.[4]
By 1992, the next year, it had doubled in size to more than 50 restaurants across theEastern Seaboard andMidwest.[4]
Sarku Japan opened its 100th location in 1999 accompanying an expansion to theWest Coast.[4]
In April 2002, the company moved its headquarters to its present location inMarkham, Ontario.[4][6]
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the company embarked on a substantial expansion campaign.[7][8][9] These efforts included opening new "Teriyaki and Sushi Express" concept stores intended to be street-front rather than in mall food courts,[7][8] as well as the signing of a contract with Frisby Corp to open 20+ new locations inColombia over the following decade.[9][8]
The first of the Colombian stores opened inPereira,Medellín andCali in October 2011, followed by five more in Medellín, Cali andBogotá by the end of the year.[8][10]
The company also looked to expand toVietnam,Asia,Europe and theMiddle East,[8] however there is no indication that these ventures were ever undertaken. At the time, the company was forecasting the chain would reach 1,000 locations by the end of the decade.[7][8][10]
In March 2020, as part of theCOVID-19 pandemic, the chain was forced to temporarily close nearly all of its locations.[6] This extended closure led to the company's 2020 yearly sales declining 46% from the year prior, and left the chain in precarious financial standing.[6]
Despite loosenedCOVID-19 restrictions, the chain reported that by January 2021 only 184 of 226 locations had reopened.[6] As of September 2021, it appears many of these locations are still closed or may have permanently shuttered.[2]
The company currently lists operating 181 stores in 32 states.[2]
Sarku Japan owns and operates theCajun-Chinese quick-serve restaurant chain Kato's Cajun.[11] As of September 2021, only one location of Kato's Cajun is open, located inEast Towne Mall inMadison, Wisconsin.[12] It is unclear how many restaurants existed at its peak however listings can be found for former locations atWest Towne Mall in Madison,[13]Market Place Shopping Center inChampaign, Illinois,[14]Arbor Place inDouglasville, Georgia,[15] andThe Shops at Liberty Place inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.[16]
Sarku Japan also owns and operates the Chinese quick-serve restaurant chain Ming Tree.[11] It appears as of September 2021 that the Ming Tree chain is defunct, as no location listings can be found. Listings can be found for closed locations atDover Mall inDover, Delaware,[17]Security Square Mall inBaltimore, Maryland[18] andIndependence Mall inWilmington, North Carolina.[19]