After 35 Years, Namiko's Sushi in Arvada Is Closing as Owner Battles Breast Cancer

"Unprecedented closures and COVID-19 was the starting catalyst of the financial strain on my mother‘s dream. I did everything in my power to keep Namiko's open through personal and financial destruction," reads a post by owner Namiko Eshima on Namiko's Sushi Facebook page.

The restaurant was founded in an Arvada strip mall in 1988 by Yuri Chandonnet, a native of Sapporo who named the eatery after her daughter. At first it served Chandonnet's take on Japanese home cooking; a sushi bar was added in 1996. "It just wasn't popular until then," Eshima told Westword back in 2000. "People came here wanting teriyaki and tempura."

In early 2017, Chandonnet passed away; Eshima kept the business going through a battle with breast cancer, a remodel and the pandemic. But now, "I have decided it is time to make the very hard decision to close my doors," she writes. "I need to put my second battle with breast cancer and family first."

The post continues: "All of us at Namiko's would like to thank all of our wonderful customers over the last 35 years for supporting our family-owned and -operated establishment in Arvada and the Arvada community for the support shown to us. Namiko's has never been a big corporation, backed or supported by people with money. My mother’s hard work, blood, sweat and tears, and my devotion to her dream kept us open through the most difficult time in recent history. To the Japanese American community, I would like to say thank you for everyone’s support of my mother’s dream and my family. ARIGATO. If you have time and want to stop by this week, I will be there and I’m hoping to be open until Saturday."

And that would be Saturday, January 13, so you still have time to stop in.
A friend, Leanne Shibata, has set up a fundraiser to support Eshima in her ongoing cancer battle. Here's the description of that campaign:

After a routine yearly mammogram in November and several doctors appointments, Nami was diagnosed with another form of breast cancer- different from her first diagnosis back in 2017. Unfortunately, this diagnosis was found to be a more aggressive form. Due to the nature of this cancer, Nami will have a double mastectomy on December 6, 2023, then will undergo 6+ months of chemotherapy starting in February. Although this possible yet unexpected diagnosis has shaken her world it has also ignited a fierce determination to again conquer this formidable adversary.

Never one to show her cracks, Nami will again lace up her gloves to fight against breast cancer. She has done and continues to do so much for our community, we want to make sure that each of you has the opportunity to return the favor by showing her the support she needs but is reluctant to ask for.

As a small business owner and fiercely dedicated mother to Kunio, Nami does not have a corporate job that comes with benefits when sick. We are looking to you, her community, to help support Namiko as she has done for so many of us.

If you are able to contribute financial support, she is truly grateful. If not, please share the fundraiser, send positive vibes, and continue to support her as you can

We will continue to update this campaign and share other ways to support Nami throughout this journey. We truly appreciate each of you taking the time to help in whatever way you can. Every effort truly makes a difference and means the world to Nami and her family.

As of January 10, donations to the $200,000 goal totaled just over $10,000.

Namiko's Sushi is located at 7310 West 52nd Avenue in Arvada; its regular hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 4:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, and its last day is slated to be January 13. For more information, visit namikos.com. To donate to the fundraiser, visit spotfund.com.