That’s a photo of Azuma Sushi proprietors Jennifer and Harry on their first day in business 24 1/2 years ago, on January 18, 2000. And here they are today:

This too is a momentous day – the couple’s final day before turning over their restaurant (4533 California SW) to a new owner, as they announced earlier this month. The new owner, Jenny, is a former Azuma employee, and as noted in Jennifer and Harry’s announcement, the restaurant will close for four weeks starting tomorrow and will bring back sit-down dining. Harry will be there after the September 28th reopening to help with the transition, but Jennifer told us she plans to travel to see family in China and Australia. You can stop in to say goodbye today – they’re open for lunch takeout until 2:30, then again for dinner takeout 4:30-9:30 pm.

Three biznotes this afternoon:

TONY’S MARKET CLOSING: Thanks to the readers who pointed out that sign at 35th/Barton on Wednesday. After a couple trips, we caught up today with Tony’s Market proprietor Raz Vorng. He and wife Sandy Saeteurn took over the produce stand last spring from longtime owner Joey Genzale. Raz says the produce business will close sometime in the next few weeks, no set date yet. But they hold the lease for the site for a few years so he’s exploring other possibilities. In the short run, he says, it’ll host at least two food trucks – a taco truck is there now and a “Cuban sandwich” truck is on the way.

RACCOLTO REOPENS: After a monthlong closure for plumbing repairs, the pasta-focused restaurant at 4147 California SW on the north edge of The Junction reopened earlier this week.

BONJOUR VIETNAM SEMI-REOPENS: Readers have been asking what’s going on with the restaurant opened by Jade Nguyen two years ago at 4509 California SW, where her parents operated Be’s Restaurant for ~35 years. Jade explains via email that the summer began with some equipment trouble, and she took the occasion to embark on some remodeling, then to “change the concept a bit.” Bonjour Vietnam is currently “open on Fridays and Saturdays for Karaoke 9-1:30 am. Our host from Yen Wor, Loretta Jones, is hosting. I am hoping to open fully with bistro bites and 21+, French fare,” but no set date yet. (Her speakeasy bar The Alley, behind BV, remains fully open.)

(WSB file photo)

Eight years ago, we reported on Azuma Sushi in The Junction closing on Sundays after 16 years of being open every single day. Now, owners Harry and Jennifer are going to get a more extensive break – they’re retiring, after running their restaurant for almost a quarter-century! But Azuma Sushi will stay open, and will even bring back sit-down dining. Here’s the announcement sent to us:

Azuma Sushi Transitioning to New Ownership

In some ways, it seems like only yesterday that we first opened our doors. But January 18, 2000 is more than twenty four and a half years ago now! Starting from that very first day, West Seattle has welcomed us with open arms, and we are so grateful to our customers, old and new, for helping us build a successful business, and really, achieve the American dream. You have been with us through so many ups and downs through the years, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. That is especially true of the recent pandemic, which tested all of us so much. It has been such a joy to get to know you, see your kids grow up, and become friends with you. Our family, including our kids (who you may remember helping out from time to time), has so many fond memories of the times we all shared together.

That is why it is bittersweet to announce that we are retiring, and that Azuma Sushi will be transitioning to new ownership. August 30th will be our last day. After that, Azuma will be closed for about a month, until the reopening date of September 28th. Don’t worry, we are keeping things in the Azuma family and will be around in the fall (with reduced hours!) to help with the transition to new ownership. We are excited to see where Jenny (a former waitress that many of you probably remember) will take things and know that you will be excited to once again be able to dine in at Azuma. We hope that you will embrace the new Azuma and that it can continue to be a part of the West Seattle community for many years to come.

Thank you, again, from the bottom of our hearts. It has been a pleasure to serve you, and we will miss seeing you all.

– Harry and Jennifer

Azuma Sushi is at 4533 California SW.

After 13 years, Cary Kemp has sold Pizzeria 22. Here’s the announcement he sent us about the change for the Admiral District restaurant (4213 SW College):

It is with great excitement and a heavy heart that I announce the sale of my beloved restaurant Pizzeria 22.

I’m grateful and so happy to inform you all that I am selling Pizzeria 22 to our former Front of House and Bar Manager of 5 years Brandi Pierce. Brandi has remained on our books over the years and is very excited to take over the reins at Pizzeria 22 as the new owner. Please don’t fret, as Pizzeria 22 will continue on with the same name, menu, and most importantly, our amazing staff.

I want to thank the residents of Seattle, West Seattle, and North Admiral for supporting me and my family for the last 13 years. I have seen a generation of children grow up eating our pizza, some of whom have come to work their first job at Pizzeria 22. I have so many regular customers that have become family to me over the years. Both of my daughters have worked at Pizzeria 22 and my oldest daughter Plum will continue on working with Brandi in this new exciting era of Neapolitan Pizza.

Since our opening on June 30th, 2011, Pizzeria 22 remains the only VPN Certified pizzeria in West Seattle. We still import the Caputo “00� flour and world-famous San Marzano Tomatoes from Napoli and our wood-fired oven was also built and shipped to us from Naples as well. I can guarantee you that Brandi is dedicated to continuing these age-old traditions and will continue sourcing the best Italian ingredients.

Lastly, I would like to personally thank Chef Daniel, our head pizziolo at Pizzeria 22. Daniel has worked our oven and been our leader in the kitchen since the day we opened over 13 years ago. His dedication and commitment to making the best pizza in Seattle has been unparalleled in our business. Daniel is excited to continue executing the menu at 22, as well as developing our Monthly Special Menu which we started last year.

I hope you all will continue to support Brandi and Pizzeria 22 and again, thank you for continued support over the years. I won’t miss the stress, but I will surely miss seeing you at Pizzeria 22.

(Image: 2011 WSB photo of Cary from just before Pizzeria 22 opened)

After reports it was contemplating a bankruptcy filing, MOD Pizza has instead just found a new owner. This news comes six weeks after MOD abruptly closed one of its two West Seattle restaurants, the Junction location that was its first on the peninsula. We requested MOD’s announcement after seeing first word of the sale via Restaurant Business this past hour, and here’s what we received from a company spokesperson:

MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings, LLC (“MOD Pizza�, “MOD� or the “company�) today announced that Elite Restaurant Group has acquired 100% of the equity of the company pursuant to a merger agreement between the company and an affiliate of Elite.

“MOD has an outstanding culture and passionate, loyal guests and employees,� said Michael Nakhleh of Elite Restaurant Group. “We recognize the inherent value this represents and look forward to helping MOD write the next chapter in its history.�

MOD, a pioneer of fast-casual pizza and salads, and its franchisees own and operate restaurants in 28 states and Canada. In recent months, MOD has been implementing a plan that includes rightsizing its portfolio, refreshing its brand, and further elevating guest experiences. It has made steady improvements to the overall business.

“MOD is a beloved brand with a strong following,â€� said Beth Scott, CEO of MOD Pizza. “We’re excited to work with Elite Restaurant Group to strengthen MOD’s future.â€� …

MOD’s remaining West Seattle store is at Westwood Village. The chain was founded in Seattle in 2008.

Today we welcome Mioposto as a returning WSB sponsor! Here’s what they would like you to know about their restaurant:

Mioposto is a family-owned open-flame pizzeria, Italian kitchen, and bar located on California Ave in the Admiral neighborhood. Our journey began in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle in 2006, with the goal of creating a date-night pizzeria that adhered to the Italian tradition of using the finest ingredients while serving as a community gathering spot. The concept was a success, leading us to search for another neighborhood that shared our community-minded values. West Seattle was an easy choice, and we opened Mioposto Admiral in 2015. We are honored to be celebrating our ninth year with you. Whether you’re looking for a local date-night spot, a place to meet friends for happy hour, or somewhere to take the whole family for brunch, Mio is the place. We hope to have created spaces where you can sit back, feel seen, safe, and accepted just as you are.

“The only source of heat in our kitchen is our 800-degree oven,� says General Manager Scott Whited. “We focus on open-flame cooking to bring out the bold and honest flavors of the ingredients we use, from our pizzas to unique brunch items.� We freshly mill our tomatoes each day to create the bases for our pizzas, lasagnas, baked eggs, and more, adding only a touch of salt. This is honest cooking we believe in and that you can taste. “Next time you’re in, ask for a taste of our milled tomatoes and experience the freshness,� says Scott. In addition to our creative pizza combinations, you will find our succulent open-flame ribeye, calamari, Hood Canal clams, antipasti, our signature Caesar salad, craft cocktails, local Washington wines, and so much more.

“What people may not know is that we serve brunch and our lunch special seven days a week,â€� says Scott. “If you’re feeling tired of typical brunch fare, I encourage you to check out our menu – it’s something different and unique.â€� Brunch hours are Monday-Friday from 11:30 am to 3 pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm. On the brunch menu, you will find our signature breakfast pizza with crispy pancetta and sunny-side-up eggs, or our panenata, which features our house-made bread soaked in egg custard with local Washington apples and pancetta, cooked in our hot oven in a cast iron skillet and finished with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

A major pillar of Mioposto is our commitment to our community. In 2023, we donated over $40,000 to various non-profits, school PTAs, and community organizations through our Pizza and Philanthropy program, which includes sponsorships, dine-out fundraising evenings, and gift card and food donations. We provide livable wages and comprehensive benefits to our employees, including 100% company-paid health care and investments in their futures through our 401(k) plan. We strive to protect the environment by sourcing ingredients domestically and locally and by providing compostable packaging to lessen our impact on the planet. We believe in treating people with dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Mioposto is a safe place for all. Thank you for making it possible.

More at www.miopostopizza.com and our Instagram @mioposto.

We thank Mioposto (2139 California SW) for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!

Thanks to Lauren for the tip and photo. MOD Pizza has closed what was its first West Seattle location, on the east side of The Junction, in The Whittaker (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW). Its Westwood Village location remains open. The now-closed location opened in February 2018. Besides its employees and fans, another group will be affected by the closure – the many nonprofits, sports teams, etc. for which it’s held dine-out fundraisers. The Seattle-born chain closed more than two dozen stores earlier this year, according to reports.

After “soft open” test runs, Mission is ready to reopen! We stopped by on Sunday night for a couple photos and a quick chat with new co-proprietor Gina Topp. She says she, husband Ben Johnson, and team have three major intentions: #1, “Keep Mission, Mission” – so you won’t find any big changes, though they did “streamline” the menu (which she says is updated online). #2, “Be stewards in our community.” #3, “Be a really positive place for our employees to work.” Rather than pose for a pic for us, in fact, she wanted to instead spotlight their two general managers:

GM Mike Adams is in charge of the bar and community relations. GM Cley Herrera Johnson oversees the kitchen, servers, and hosts. Returning in the kitchen is Mission’s cook of 11 years, Beto Candejas. You can check it all out for yourself starting at 4 pm Tuesday, at 2325 California SW.

P.S. One of those community-stewardship efforts – Gina says educators and veterans get a 20 percent discount, so be sure to mention it if you’re in either of those categories.

8:53 AM: Two months ago, new owners were announced for Admiral restaurant/bar Mission Cantina, which had closed in early February after 19 years. This morning, its reopening date has been announced – one week from today. A ribboncutting is planned for 4 pm Tuesday, May 28, according to general manager Mike D. Adams. New owners Gina Topp and Ben Johnson announced in March that they weren’t planning any major changes – “our primary objective is to maintain the community asset that is Mission Cantina.” (If you’ve never been, it’s at 2325 California SW.)

ADDED 10 AM: The formal announcement of the reopening says hours will be 4 pm-midnight Sundays-Thursdays and 4 pm-1 am Fridays and Saturdays.

After two reader tips, we’ve just confirmed with a spokesperson for restaurateur Brian Clevenger that one of his West Seattle restaurants, Haymaker (4706 California SW), has closed. His other restaurants – including West Seattle’s Raccolto and GH Pasta and Pizza – remain open. Here’s the statement we received in response to our inquiry:

Haymaker is officially closed and most teammates are transitioning to other General Harvest locations.

After a great five years and a ton of support from the West Seattle community, General Harvest has decided to focus on the two brand concepts the company has grown over the last several years and will continue to develop in the future.

The first is small neighborhood spaces offering a selection of handmade pastas, fresh local vegetables, and a variety of seafood and protein dishes – similar to Raccolto, Vendemmia, Autumn, and recently opened Haerfest.

The second is the GH Pasta and Pizza model, offering fan-favorite large bowls of fresh pastas, a variety of 12� pizzas with rotating specials, starters, and salads, all at approachable prices.

Haymaker, while well loved, was a bit of an outlier and thus it made sense to move on to new ventures aligned with the above. We’re wishing the next restaurant the best of luck!

No restaurant has announced a takeover plan for the space yet, but it’s been listed for sale. Haymaker opened in the space in summer 2019, a little over half a year after the first restaurant in the space, Vine and Spoon, was evicted (at the same time as Vine and Spoon’s sister establishment Alchemy). The Haymaker closure comes just months after another restaurant closure in the Junction 47 complex – The Lodge Sports Grille closed there at the end of last year.