Fusian shuts down ‘underperforming’ restaurant, focuses on improvement

Fusian — the fast-casual sushi restaurant chain founded by three former Oakwood classmates — is focusing on improvement after shutting down one of its locations.

The restaurant that closed its doors earlier this month was located at 11 Martin Luther King Drive East, adjacent to the campus of the University of Cincinnati. It was one of four Cincinnati-area Fusian restaurants, and the most recent: it opened just last fall. Fusian also operates three locations in the Dayton area, four in the Columbus area, and one in Toledo.

RELATED: New ‘Wholey Bowls” now on the menu at local Fusian (April 2017)

“We are laser focused on internal operations right now,” Fusian co-founder and CEO Zach Weprin told this news outlet late Wednesday night. “We just hired a new director of operations and a new culinary director. We are focused and committed on elevating the Fusian experience and being the best fast casual sushi restaurant in the country, which led to the decision to close this underperforming location.”

RELATED: Fusian to open new Beavercreek restaurant May 6

Fusian Sushi was launched in Cincinnati in 2010 by Weprin, his brother Josh Weprin, and Stephan Harman, all of whom attended Oakwood’s Harman Elementary School. The trio had talked as kids of going into business together, Stephan Harman told this news outlet shortly after Fusian launched.

RELATED: Oakwood natives add another sushi restaurant in Columbus (January 2016)

After a relatively deliberate approach to growing the chain in its first four years, the trio accelerated its growth in recent years as it expanded into the new markets of Columbus and Toledo. The chain’s founders have said they’re laying the foundation for expanding into the Cleveland market.

RELATED: New store, restaurant to open at Mall at Fairfield Commons (August 2016)

The Dayton-area Fusian restaurants are located at the Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek, on Brown Street near the University of Dayton, and on Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Washington Twp. next to Whole Foods.’

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"We are focused and committed on elevating the FUSIAN experience and being the best fast casual sushi restaurant in the country."

Posted by Dayton.com on Thursday, November 16, 2017

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