Suehiro Cafe, a historic Japanese restaurant in Little Tokyo, shuttered its doors Jan. 9 after months of eviction threats from landlord Anthony Sperl. Kenji Suzuki’s mother and aunt opened the cafe five decades ago in 1972, and it’s been at its iconic location on First Street for over 35 years. On Sep. 12, 2023, Suzuki opened a new Suehiro location in the Historic Core of downtown Los Angeles. 

When word spread that the cafe was at risk of going out of business, activists and community members gathered in droves to protest the eviction. Protesters marched on First Street Dec. 10, carrying signs that read “Save Little Tokyo” and “Little Tokyo is not for sale” in hopes of pressuring Sperl to keep the restaurant open. 

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Suehiro’s troubles started when Sperl asked Suzuki to start paying nearly $4,000 more in monthly rent and asked for a $100,000 rental renewal. Although Suzuki complied with Sperl’s initial demands, Sperl then stopped cashing Suzuki’s checks and began eviction proceedings, alleging nonpayment of rent. After going to court, both parties agreed that Suzuki would vacate Suehiro by Jan. 16. There are now reports that the location will soon be replaced with a dispensary. 

“I think it’s a reflection of how Little Tokyo, it really is changing,” said Katie Ikemoto, a junior majoring in communication and president of the Nikkei Student Union. “The pushing out of all of these businesses does push out a lot of the heritage and culture that’s in the area.”

The coronavirus pandemic, which caused the death of Suzuki’s mother in 2021, forced many businesses to leave Little Tokyo, but it was especially disheartening for Ikemoto to see a staple of the community like Suehiro Cafe have to go. Places like Suehiro Cafe are rich with and attached to many memories, Ikemoto said. 

“I know even my parents and my friend’s parents, they’ve told me they’ve gone on dates there, historically,” Ikemoto said. “It’s a very recognizable and memorable spot, I think, that’s been passed through a couple of generations.”

Kyle Ching, a sophomore majoring in public policy, said he thinks it’s possible that new stores with no ties to the history or the culture of Little Tokyo will replace the historic stores in Little Tokyo. Many businesses were started by ex-detainees of Japanese internment camps, Ching said. 

“What really makes Little Tokyo so special is all of the history that goes behind it,” Ching said. “That town in particular has a very special history, and I think if it’s losing these mom and pop shops, that is kind of sad because that community is really special. And for Japanese Americans in particular, it does feel like a second home.”

It was heartbreaking to hear that he would have to close the historic Little Tokyo location, Suzuki said. Knowing he would have to leave behind his roots and everybody who had supported Suehiro Cafe through these difficult times was a saddening experience. 

“Little Tokyo is made up of the people and the stores and if you lose that, the essence of Little Tokyo goes away,” Suzuki said. 

When Ikemoto started working in Little Tokyo, she regularly went to eat at Suehiro Cafe, and it made her feel more connected to the community.

“It felt like a home-cooked meal, the atmosphere kind of felt like going to a restaurant or place in Japan,” Ikemoto said. “It just felt very friendly and welcoming.”

Ching also frequently went to Suehiro Cafe whenever he missed the feeling of a home-cooked meal.

“I’m from Hawaii, so sometimes I miss home-cooked food like that,” Ching said. “I would just go there and it was really yummy. And you could feel kind of like, the food would remind me of home.” 

The new location in downtown L.A. comes with some difficulties, Ching said. The old location was easily accessible by Metro, and he worries that he won’t be able to eat at the new location as often because it’s harder for him to access. Ching said he still hopes that people will continue to go to Suehiro Cafe and support Suzuki at his new location. 

“USC being so close to Little Tokyo, it is important to us and we’re really lucky to be so close, but to see such change happening I think we just wanted to say that we really do enjoy [Suehiro]. We’ll always try to visit the new location, but not having that Little Tokyo location does pain us in our hearts,” Ikemoto said. “And as much as change happens, this is a change that is impacting a lot of people.”

Sperl did not respond to the Daily Trojan’s request for comment by the time of publication.