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Written by Anna 20/12/2024
END OF AN ERA ​​
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We are really sad to say we have decided to close our restaurant on the 5th of January. This is after 8 years in Brighton 3.5 of which have been at our Sydney Street restaurant and 2 of which were run fully on donations!
Since the first lockdown it has been such a rough ride for the hospitality industry and as a solo business owner, its like I’m coming to the end of a long battle and i’m exhausted. I am still so passionate about healthy food, veganism, ethics and using business as vehicle for social good and I would never compromise on any of these things. The hospitality sector is really struggling, we dont have the sales we need to sustain ourselves and to top all that off I am really not a restauranteur so the right and responsible thing to do is close.
Worry not festivals aren’t going anywhere, hopefully we will be doing extra events this year and the retail side of the business is up for sale so watch this space someone might keep the vegan sushi dream alive on the streets. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has visited our stores in Brighton over the years. It’s been an absolute privilege to feed you, your friends and your families and we hope to see you soon for your final fix.
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I want to say a special thanks to our regulars over years, our customers who travel from all over to visit and and to Wayne, Zoe, Georgie, Joey, Liis, Hannah, Ali and to every employee turned friend who have contributed to our stores over the years you’re very much appreciated and will always be part of the Happy Maki family.
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MAYBE YOU CAN HELP? ​​
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Firstly if you can please eat as much Happy Maki as possible before the 5th of January that would be amazing. I know you’ll all be skint from Christmas but any in store sales you can manage would be hugely appreciated as they are the most helpful but of course delivery works too! Get in those last portions of popcorn cauliflower :( and fill yourselves with fully loadeds. Please tell your friends too and help us spread the word.
If you know anyone that might be interested in a restaurant pop up space over the Summer let them know our restaurant is available from January - August. If you or anyone you know might be interested in taking this wonderful business and putting the time and funds required into making it grow you can see our sales deck for this opportunity below. I am not the person for this job but I know someone out there is.
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​BUSINESS
DECK ​​​​
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THOUGHTS & REFLECTIONS​
We have seen a significant drop in sales in the last 14 months, which I think is due to a combination of cost of living crisis, huge availability of vegan options, less demand for vegan food, less people travelling to Brighton at the weekends. I also wonder how much our lack of marketing has had an impact but I am so exhausted by social media. I can’t force myself to strategise and compete for peoples attention or pay someone to do this for me mainly because I know how bad social media is for us and I dont want to be contributing to that in any way. I also wonder how many customers we lost due to having to swap our beloved and addictive chickn’ pieces for a different product. If you have any ideas/ reasons why you were visiting less please do let us know I’d be really curious to hear your reasons. Probably should have reached out and asked that sooner (laugh).
On reflection I really don’t think we did anything that wrong, or had a drop in standards, in fact we’d gotten to a point where the business was operating so smoothly and with solid systems and a brand and (dare I say it) “vibe” that I’m proud of.... but people just don’t seem to be spending like they used to, I know I’m not so I get that part.
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One thing I do want to speak on in a bit more details is how VERY important, no not just important CRUCIAL I still feel VEGANISM is for everyone’s future. I started the business because I in my own little way I wanted to save the oceans, the tuna and raise awareness of the atrocities of fish farming. But I very quickly learned that all animal agriculture needed to stop if we want to have a planet that we can be healthy and happy on and how we treat each other is just as if not more important to the environment. I feel the current problem with activism is that it often doesnt come with principles like kindness, health and transparency. We have always tried to lead with these in business, as well as humility and self responsibility and we hope you’ve been able to taste this in the food and feel it when in our beautiful alcohol free, people watching, restaurant retreat space on Sydney Street.
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I know people will might see us closing as a blow, maybe a worrying sign for veganism but for me it’s more an opportunity to make a shift. I have learnt a huge amount in opening and running a restaurant and I’ve had a lot of fears confronted which maybe I’ll write more about later. But it’s got to the point where the sacrifices made and the stresses that have come with trying to keep this thing going well they can’t and they shouldn’t continue, no matter what apparent losses result. If what it takes for me to focus on projects that I adore is the collapse of all I’ve worked on and invested in the last 8 years....then maybe that is ok i’ll look back in the near future and say, thank God that happened. One thing a friend has helped me to see that I think could be helpful for other people is that as women we are taught to sacrifice, and as I dont have kids I have subconsciously sacrificed myself through my business. I haven’t looked after myself particularly financially in the way I should have and I have to fix the consequences of that now. Love doesn’t sacrifice, so if you are sacrificing or if feels like a sacrifice then something isn't right, I really dont recommend self-sacrificing.
Obviously right now it feels very overwhelming and I feel like I’ve been really stupid and wasted a load of money! But on the flip side I can see how much good has come from this. The wonderful people I have met, the challenges I have overcome, the kids we have helped through Marys Meals, they joy we have brought into our customers lives and the level of self responsibility that I have had to develop which previously I would have run a mile from. Someone also reminded me recently that I mustn't underestimate the ripple effect that Happy Maki has created and thats true and it’s lovely to ponder about.
So heres to all our positive ripple effects, to leading with kindess and to taking action, confronting fears, learning lessons and working in our passions rather than trying to prove something or self sacrifice for a seemingly “greater cause”.
Anna x
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