Hinode Japanese Restaurant officially closed Saturday.
The Bethesda sushi spot has been in business at the location for 22 years, but the owner said it’s time to move on.
“It’s time to leave,” said owner Susan Kwon on Monday morning as she was handling paperwork inside the space at 4916 Hampden Lane. The tables were all cleared out and much of the artwork was positioned against a back wall. Construction workers were beginning to set up scaffolding outside and movers were ferrying items around the space inside.
“I’ll miss Bethesda a lot, I really love all our customers,” Kwon said. “A very big part of my life is here.”
The Bethesda restaurant was Kwon and her family’s first. They later opened Hinode locations in Rockville and Frederick and Kwon said they’ll still operate those, “They’re doing really good.”
A message posted on the outside of the restaurant says, "Serving the Bethesda community for the past 22 years has been a great honor and we thank you for your patronage."
Sushi lovers shouldn’t fret too much though. Another longtime Japanese restaurant, Tako Grill, is planning to open at the space in November after renovations are completed. Tako, which is currently located at 7756 Wisconsin Ave., announced it had signed a 10-year lease at the Shoppes of Bethesda location in June.
Tako’s location is slated to be demolished to make way for The Bernstein Companies’ Bethesda Center, which is planned to include a Westin Hotel and an office building.
Draiman Properties, the owners of Shoppes of Bethesda, is beginning an estimated $900,000 in façade renovations at the Shoppes.
Several other changes are underway at the shopping center. Noodles & Co., Soul Cycle and Dunkin’ Donuts have also signed leases to move into the Elm Street side of the shopping center.