Craft Sushi to open second location

Customizable sushi rolls and poke bowls are coming to the south side of Springfield.

Craft Sushi is targeting a March opening for its second location, said Michael Cho, who owns the restaurant venture with his wife, Jenny. He declined to disclose startup costs or lease terms with landlord Twin Oaks Market Place LLC, which owns the building at 1282 E. Republic Road.

"It's been in the works for a while," Cho said. "It was always the plan to have a second and possibly even a third location in Springfield. I just feel there's a segment of Springfield on the south side that is underserved by our current location."

The first Craft Sushi opened in November 2018 at 1251 E. Sunshine St., Ste. 116, in a retail and office center across from Mercy Hospital Springfield.

The second location, near CoxHealth at the intersection of Republic Road and National Avenue, spans roughly 2,000 square feet, Cho said. The restaurant fills space left vacant two years ago by Jax and Gabe's Pizzeria, which closed.

The south-side Craft Sushi will employ 15-20 people, similar to the location on Sunshine Street, Cho said.