Sushi Sasa has operated on Platte Street since 2005. (Sushi Sasa)
Since closing Sushi Sasa on Dec. 26, owner Wayne Conwell is certain about only one thing.
“It still hasn’t quite sunk in,” said Sasa, 53. “But up until COVID, everything was pretty wonderful.”
The pandemic brought on a host of challenges, including increased costs and lower foot traffic, that led to his decision to close the sushi joint, which operated for 20 years at the corner of 15th and Platte in LoHi.
But Conwell’s most significant post-pandemic struggle? Staffing.
Wayne Conwell
“I’m still trying to figure out what exactly happened between pre-COVID and now with the work culture,” he said. “It’s become very hard to find people that want to show up on time every day and go extra steps for the guest — the ultimate person we’re trying to please.”
He described his early 2020 staff as a group with “an amazing level of synergy” who “were truly dedicated to that mission” of the restaurant. In the years after, he couldn’t find the right combination to get back there.
“We haven’t been able to rebuild to that level that guests deserve,” he said.
He said the city’s minimum wage hikes — something local restaurateurs have vocally opposed — and employer-paid sick leave, required under the state Healthy Families and Workplaces Act passed in 2020, as things that changed the dynamic.
Conwell’s staff accrued one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked. Employees could earn up to 48 per year, and Conwell said he couldn’t ask to see a doctor’s note until a fourth consecutive day off.
“It’s paid sick leave that they can use on a whim,” he said of the policy.
While he acknowledged those are good in theory for employee quality of life, the rollout has fallen flat, he said.
“A lot of things were passed on to us as employers,” he said. “And I don’t think people understand how it impacts sustainability and profitability for restaurants and businesses.”
At the time Sasa shut down, he also faced more competition from newer spots along Platte Street, such as Brider and Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar, a much different environment than when he was the only sushi restaurant within several miles.
“The area that we’re in 20 years ago was skid row,” Conwell said.
Sushi Sasa’s space on the corner of 15th and Platte Street. (Justin Wingerter/BusinessDen)
Before the pandemic, Conwell toyed around with remodeling or even moving away from his 7,000-square-foot space. But after things “deeply declined” post-COVID, that became unfeasible, he said.
Conwell now hopes to put his two decades of experience into a slimmed-down concept.
“Now I see the possibility of how things could be done,” he said. “And currently not having enough qualified staff at the size of Sushi Sasa made me want to do something better, something smaller where I have more control.”
He already has a version of this with Tai Tai Japanese in southeast Denver, a cheaper sushi bar alternative to Sasa that opened in 2019. Conwell said there are no plans to close that location, and that he’ll spend more time there now that Sasa is closed.
At the same time he opened Tai Tai, he also hoped to debut Sasa on the Hill in Hilltop, but it never got off the ground because of the pandemic. The concept there was a menu that mirrored the original Sushi Sasa served in a space half its size.
Conwell said his next venture will be more similar to the latter.
“I’m more interested in doing smaller specialized concepts within the sphere of Japanese cuisine,” he said. “I would guess that under 3,000 square feet would be the ideal size, and possibly smaller.”
Though he doesn’t have a firm timeline on when he wants to open another concept, he does know it will be in Denver.
“A lot of people have moved out of Denver, but it’s not something that I’ve considered,” he said. “I’d consider Denver as a place where there is still a lot of potential. I think Denver is ripe for these more small specialized concepts.”
Sushi Sasa has operated on Platte Street since 2005. (Sushi Sasa)
Since closing Sushi Sasa on Dec. 26, owner Wayne Conwell is certain about only one thing.
“It still hasn’t quite sunk in,” said Sasa, 53. “But up until COVID, everything was pretty wonderful.”
The pandemic brought on a host of challenges, including increased costs and lower foot traffic, that led to his decision to close the sushi joint, which operated for 20 years at the corner of 15th and Platte in LoHi.
But Conwell’s most significant post-pandemic struggle? Staffing.
Wayne Conwell
“I’m still trying to figure out what exactly happened between pre-COVID and now with the work culture,” he said. “It’s become very hard to find people that want to show up on time every day and go extra steps for the guest — the ultimate person we’re trying to please.”
He described his early 2020 staff as a group with “an amazing level of synergy” who “were truly dedicated to that mission” of the restaurant. In the years after, he couldn’t find the right combination to get back there.
“We haven’t been able to rebuild to that level that guests deserve,” he said.
He said the city’s minimum wage hikes — something local restaurateurs have vocally opposed — and employer-paid sick leave, required under the state Healthy Families and Workplaces Act passed in 2020, as things that changed the dynamic.
Conwell’s staff accrued one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked. Employees could earn up to 48 per year, and Conwell said he couldn’t ask to see a doctor’s note until a fourth consecutive day off.
“It’s paid sick leave that they can use on a whim,” he said of the policy.
While he acknowledged those are good in theory for employee quality of life, the rollout has fallen flat, he said.
“A lot of things were passed on to us as employers,” he said. “And I don’t think people understand how it impacts sustainability and profitability for restaurants and businesses.”
At the time Sasa shut down, he also faced more competition from newer spots along Platte Street, such as Brider and Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar, a much different environment than when he was the only sushi restaurant within several miles.
“The area that we’re in 20 years ago was skid row,” Conwell said.
Sushi Sasa’s space on the corner of 15th and Platte Street. (Justin Wingerter/BusinessDen)
Before the pandemic, Conwell toyed around with remodeling or even moving away from his 7,000-square-foot space. But after things “deeply declined” post-COVID, that became unfeasible, he said.
Conwell now hopes to put his two decades of experience into a slimmed-down concept.
“Now I see the possibility of how things could be done,” he said. “And currently not having enough qualified staff at the size of Sushi Sasa made me want to do something better, something smaller where I have more control.”
He already has a version of this with Tai Tai Japanese in southeast Denver, a cheaper sushi bar alternative to Sasa that opened in 2019. Conwell said there are no plans to close that location, and that he’ll spend more time there now that Sasa is closed.
At the same time he opened Tai Tai, he also hoped to debut Sasa on the Hill in Hilltop, but it never got off the ground because of the pandemic. The concept there was a menu that mirrored the original Sushi Sasa served in a space half its size.
Conwell said his next venture will be more similar to the latter.
“I’m more interested in doing smaller specialized concepts within the sphere of Japanese cuisine,” he said. “I would guess that under 3,000 square feet would be the ideal size, and possibly smaller.”
Though he doesn’t have a firm timeline on when he wants to open another concept, he does know it will be in Denver.
“A lot of people have moved out of Denver, but it’s not something that I’ve considered,” he said. “I’d consider Denver as a place where there is still a lot of potential. I think Denver is ripe for these more small specialized concepts.”
