Little Tokyo Enters the Deadpool

Their prices were far too high. I could find much of what I need at Sanko or T&T for much better pricing.

Tim, good taste.. I fell in love with kinokuniya right by rockefeller center when i lived in nyc in 1985...I could spend a whole afternoon there and still can...too bad we don't have any japanese department stores here, like daimaru,mitsukoshi or yaohan

I'd rather buy my Japanese food in a Japanese shop, because they know something more about it than me, who lived there a few years; however, the reality is even my Japanese wife buys it all cheaper in Korea Town. Too bad though, they were MUCH more friendly than Sanko.

Word from the owner a while back was that he was moving to Leslieville. No word on a re-opening yet.

Apparently Little Tokyo sewed the seeds of its own demise, by contributing to a revitalization that led its landlords to jack the rent up.

In any case, I thought it was a great store. I used to buy a lot there. I thought the pottery and dishes were all very reasonably prices; comparable to anything one might find in Japan.

It liked that store. It was brighter and more spacious than Sanko, which can be claustrophobic at times.

I first noticed its closure a while ago. I wanted to buy some tasty udon noddles I couldn't find elsewhere.

The owner is a good friend of mine. You're right David, the lease would have been 2x what it was, which wasn't peanuts to begin with .. and they also wanted a long term deal on it. That stretch of Augusta has changed a lot in the past couple of years.. many stores and cafes/restaurants have opened, drug dealers have been busted and crackheads started moving away.

friendliest and most helpful store owners in town. made me feel like i was back in japan.

i'd head to Leslieville just to give them my business, even if they are a bit more expensive.

@Gregg: so can you confirm the rumour they're moving to leslieville? it would make a great addition to my new 'hood.

one of the reasons i liked Little Tokyo is that i could work in a visit while shopping at kensington rather than head as far west as Sanko.

This store has moved before: for years, they were known as "booknet", mostly selling books and magazines on balmuto. They had to move when their old location was bulldozed for 2 highrise condos currently under construction.

I miss those guys at Little Tokyo already, I learned how to make awesome sushi and tastier miso and stuff from them. Super sweet, helpful people, I hope they open another location!!