Community members joined Nikkei Progressives in front of Suehiro Café on Monday to denounce developments that have led to the impending closure of the beloved restaurant.
Suehiro owner Kenji Suzuki has been fighting eviction from the Little Tokyo location that has been home to Suehiro since the late 1980s. A court hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, but Suzuki suggested it was likely the closure was imminent.
Suehiro has already opened a second Downtown location nearby, at the corner of Fourth and Main streets.
A rally in support of Suehiro was already planned for Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro Station on First and Alameda. The rally will feature several speakers who have fought or are currently fighting against gentrification in Little Tokyo and the broader Downtown and East Los Angeles communities.
Suzuki has reported that the landlord at the First Street building, Tony Sperl, had seemed determined to capitalize on the perceived increase in business brought on by the recent Metro improvements in Little Tokyo. Suzuki said Sperl had recently filed paperwork to establish a marijuana dispensary and has expressed a desire to make Little Tokyo resemble a Melrose Avenue type of business district.
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