Despite a posted notice that Soya Japanese Restaurant at Governors Green in James City County has closed for renovations, it appears the restaurant has closed for good.
The operator of the restaurant has surrendered the keys to the restaurant, said Mike Mausteller, a real estate broker with Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate who has been tasked with finding a new occupant for the space.
The restaurant’s equipment and furniture is still in place. Mausteller said this is to entice a new operator who could simply buy the resources in place and start operating. If a tenant who wants to take the space in a different direction rents it, the operators of Soya would have a limited amount of time to remove their property.
Mausteller said the Soya operators had met all of their obligations as renters—including rent payment—which is uncommon for a business that is set to close, as those cases typically involve businesses that are months late in paying rent. The current lease ends at the end of January, though Mausteller said the restaurant has been closed since the middle of December.
“Soya will be temporarily closed for a renovation,” says a sign posted on the front door of the restaurant, adjacent to the “for rent” sign. “We are sad that we cannot serve you meanwhile and will miss you very dearly. However, we hope to return as a better restaurant, ready to provide a better service. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support.”
Efforts by WYDaily to ascertain the identity of the restaurant operator so far have proven unsuccessful.
