Maki Fresh

Maki Fresh is a fast-service sushi restaurant opened by John Cassimus with partner Tyson Cole at the Cahaba Village shopping center in October 2008. The restaurant offers pre-prepared sushi or select ingredients for made-to-order dishes. Besides sushi, the menu features cooked chicken, beef, fish and tofu dishes and salads. The restaurant serves as a training and testing ground for Cassimus' full-service Jinsei restaurant in Homewood.

The chain opened locations in Atlanta and Montgomery, and added a second Birmingham restaurant at 420 20th Street North in the Wells Fargo Tower downtown on May 16, 2014. They soon announced plans to open in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.

As of 2018, Cassimus had sold his stake in Maki Fresh and all his other restaurants to focus on retail.

References

• Thornton, William (October 7, 2008) "Zoe's John Cassimus ready for Maki Fresh." The Birmingham News
• Carlton, Bob (May 16, 2014) "Maki Fresh restaurant opens in downtown Birmingham today; here's a sneak preview." The Birmingham News
• Flanagan, Ben (June 27, 2014) "Birmingham-based Maki Fresh sushi restaurant opening Tuscaloosa and Huntsville locations." The Birmingham News
• Van der Bijl, Hanno (February 21, 2018) "Fast casual Japanese restaurant closes in downtown Birmingham." Birmingham Business Journal
• Edgemon, Erin (June 4, 2018) "Ex-Zoe's CEO leaves restaurant business, plans to open Mike's Merchandise in Pelham." The Birmingham News