Kushi Explains Late Payments Caused Its Shutter On Friday

Now that the restaurant is back open, Kushi owner Darren Lee Norris explains to the Washington Post the deal behind the tax problems that forced his restaurant to temporarily close on Friday. It turns out that the restaurant had already agreed to a repayment plan to make good on that $129,000 or so in back taxes and had been late in remitting those payments. Considering this a breach of contract, the DC Office of Tax and Revenue shut Kushi down.

The reason Kushi is back up and operating again so soon? Norris tells the Post he and his wife and co-owner Ari Kushimoto Norris paid half the back taxes on Monday, providing evidence they could pay the rest within the next few weeks. He also accepted responsibility: "I don't blame them to be honest with you. Yeah, they flexed their muscles, but I mean, they wouldn't have had to flex them if I paid on time."
· Kushi owners talk about their tax troubles [WaPo]
· Tax Lien Forces Kushi To Shutter With Hopes To Reopen Wednesday [-EDC-]
· All Previous Kushi Coverage [-EDC-]

Kushi [Photo: Cheryl L./Yelp]