Gene’s Heartland Foods is now home to a new kind of cuisine not available anywhere else in Eudora: sushi.
Sushi — both pre-made and custom-made — is now available at Gene’s Heartland Foods. Other items include poke bowls and appetizers such as potstickers and spring rolls. Prices range from $5.99-$10.99, with most rolls costing $8 or $9.
The sushi will be sold seven days a week and during store hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. The sushi will be made fresh every morning before the store opens.
American Fresh Sushi was originally set to launch earlier this month but was rescheduled for this weekend.
Store director Lance Handley said he had been looking for a way to use a space within the store that did not yet have a purpose and was delighted when American Fresh Sushi called him to set up a deal.
Handley said he wanted to reach an untapped market within Eudora, and sushi was the perfect solution.
“I wanted something that we don’t already have here in town,” Handley said. “Something different that gives people another option. Since we don’t have a sushi restaurant, this was perfect.”
American Fresh Sushi owner and sushi chef Bawi Hnem said Gene’s was the perfect fit for their company because of the family-owned aspect. She and her husband, Joseph, make the sushi.
“Gene’s is family owned just like us, which has always been important for us,” she said. “We try to do sushi programs with other family-owned businesses because they understand us better.”
Paige Hayden, a customer who attended the grand opening, said she was happy Gene’s Heartland Foods brought sushi to the area.
“I’m excited that I don’t have to drive to Lawrence anymore to get good sushi,” Hayden said. “It’s going to be so much more convenient.
Another customer, Candice L’Ecuyer, said she was excited about the menu’s diversity.
“Personally, I love veggie sushi,” she said. “So I was excited to see their menu offered that. It’s great to have some sushi here.”
Sushi chef Joseph Chang said the sushi counter was busy all day and the community has been supportive.
“It’s been so fun to work in town,” Chang said. “Everyone is so nice to us and are so excited we are here.”
Reach reporter Jenna Barackman at [email protected].
