Asian-fusion restaurant Ocean Zen is slated to relocate early next year to the property that formerly housed Chinese eatery Mr. Yen's.
John and Johnson Tan recently closed on the purchase of the Mr. Yen's property, 4117 S. National Ave., said Dan Difranco, Ocean Zen catering and events manager.
Ocean Zen will continue to operate at 600 E. Battlefield Road until the move, he said.
Through listing agent Lee McLean III of Plaza Realty & Management Services Inc., the Tans are marketing the Ocean Zen property for sale at $1.95 million. The
listing states the 7,200-square-foot property is expected to be available for occupancy in January.
Mr. Yen's, which had been owned by John Burke under Mr. Yen Inc., was shut down
early this year by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department for multiple repeated critical violations, including several live and dead cockroaches throughout the kitchen, a cook smoking in the kitchen and mishandling of food items.
Opened in 1998 by Burke's father Tobby Yen, who died in July 2012 at age 67, Mr. Yen's
ultimately closed after news of the health shutdown spread. The 2014 taxable appraised value of the South National Avenue property is $1.9 million.
The Tans opened Ocean Zen - which serves Pacific Rim cuisine, a fusion of Asian, French and Italian tastes - on South Glenstone Avenue in 2004 and
moved it to its current East Battlefield spot in 2007.
Via Tan Brothers LLC, the brothers also own 5 Spice, Flo Restaurant and Wine Bar and Yum Yum Bowl.[[In-content Ad]]
