Saskatoon’s Fuzion Sushi founders retiring at the end of the month

It wasn’t long ago, the lineups at Fuzion Sushi were going out the door as co-owners Rebecca and Tim Liu had trouble keeping up with demand during the busy lunch rush.

But like many other restaurants facing increased property taxes, rent, food costs and inflationary pressures in 2023, the crowds have dwindled, with fewer people working and spending time downtown.

“I know we’ve gone through up and down for business and then we have this sweet and bitter — everything combined,” Rebecca Liu said. “This is our home. We spent most of the time here in the 20 years.”

After thousands upon thousands of rolls of sushi, The Lius are stepping away from the business they built from the ground up 20 years after introducing Japanese fusion cuisine to many in Saskatoon.

“It was so difficult for us to start in the first three months,” Liu said. “The first thing I remember, I made $68 for the first day.”

Thirty years ago when the Lius immigrated to Canada, things like sushi and bubble tea were not well-known in Saskatoon. Liu remembers an inspector refusing to allow them to serve fresh sushi at room temperature, demanding they chill the food before serving it.

The Liu’s paid to have a lab examine the food and prove it was safe for consumption. That lab report is still stored at their downtown location more than two decades later.

“In the beginning, it was tough for us to build up and then have to teach the culture for the people,” she said.

Three years ago, Liu was in a car accident, which brought on anxiety shortly afterwards. Around that time Liu started to rethink her stance on retirement and spending more than half her time at the restaurant.

“In the future, I want to see my grandchildren in the face. I don't want to see them on the phone,” Liu said.

With increasing rent, taxes and food costs, the Lius figured now was a good time to step away, but Fuzion is staying in the family, with Liu’s niece taking over the business next Monday, hoping to serve up another 20 years of bubble tea and sushi in Saskatoon.

“Downtown, I've been here for over 30 years and every single one of the people around the corner, I know all their names. I won’t get to see them,” Liu said.

Liu and her husband plan to spend much of their time at the restaurant over the next month transitioning control over to their niece.

After that, the couple plans to take six months off before deciding whether to relocate closer to family or settle in Saskatoon for retirement.