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Read the press release here.

FireFin Poke Shop Closes 5 Days After Grand Opening On Belmont

By Jessica Cabe | October 30, 2017 2:13pm | Updated on October 30, 2017 4:46pm
 FireFin Poke held its grand opening at 802 W. Belmont Ave. on Wednesday. Monday, the owners announced that all five locations of the chain closed.
FireFin Poke held its grand opening at 802 W. Belmont Ave. on Wednesday. Monday, the owners announced that all five locations of the chain closed.
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DNAinfo/Jessica Cabe

BOYSTOWN — After what seemed to be a joyful, run-of-the-mill grand opening last Wednesday, the Lakeview location of FireFin Poke Shop, 802 W. Belmont Ave., has closed suddenly, along with the other four restaurants in the chain.

One of the owners, Anshul Mangal, said he was "disappointed and sad," but it was a decision based on economics.

"We started having conversations in the last few weeks, given what we were seeing with our financial performance," Mangal told DNAinfo. "And then we decided to close today."

Mangal acknowledged it is unusual to close a restaurant only five days after its grand opening.

"We wanted to see how [the Lakeview location] would perform financially, and in hindsight it probably may not have been the best decision," he said.

Eater first reported the news on the chain's closure Monday.

Mangal said his company, Now Open Project, is actively talking to other restaurant groups and trying to lease the space.

Now Open will shift its focus to growing Furious Spoon, which is right next to FireFin Poke and was originally slated to open this past summer.

Furious Spoon is still not open due to unanticipated delays in construction, but the ramen restaurant will open in December.

"There was nothing crazy going on," he said. "We are fully constructed now, and we're doing training and development, and we will open in December."

Mangal said Furious Spoon is doing great financially, and more locations are planned for next year.

FireFin Poke's now-closed locations are: 

• 10 S. LaSalle St.
• 174 N. Franklin St.
• 1415 N. Milwaukee Ave.
• 500 W. Madison St.
• 802 W. Belmont Ave.