Slim Chickens closes only Helotes restaurant after 9 years

A New Braunfels strip center that has seen a rash of closures now has another vacancy. After eight years, Ohana Poke & Sushi Burrito has closed at 651 N. Business I-35, shuttered August 21, citing the rising cost of doing business.

“Due to the affordability of our poke and sushi burritos,” the restaurant explained in a sign posted on the door. “It was not enough for the rising price of real estate. The ownership has decided to close.”

The Hawaiian restaurant first opened in the New Braunfels MarketPlace shopping center in July 2018. The Hill Country suburb was then in the middle of an unprecedented boom, growing by 57.8 percent between 2010 and 2020. With the population explosion came a new interest in retail development — including Solm’s Landing and Town Center at Creekside — that is now beginning to take shape.

It’s unknown whether the new glossy centers lessened foot traffic at circa 1988 development, but the center has recently seen a string of high-profile closures in recent months. Fatburger and Round Table Pizza shuttered in March, followed by Gold’s Gym in April. At least two of those spaces were quickly filled, with Mattenga’s Pizzeria taking over Round Table in June and Crunch Fitness currently renovating the Gold’s space for a fall debut.

Other than the door sign, Ohana has not issued a public statement about the closure and did not immediately return a request for comment. But the mania for poke and sushi burritos, once one of the biggest trends in U.S. dining, appears to have peaked. Analysis from research firm Technavio found that the poke category has matured in recent years and is now facing new challenges like the rising cost of tuna and overall market saturation.

The latter seemingly played no role in Ohana’s closure. It was the only dedicated poke restaurant in New Braunfels. And the owners have not given up making it a viable business. The sign stated that it is still open to franchising opportunities.