One of the Makino sushi and seafood buffets in Las Vegas has filed for bankruptcy after a creditor repossessed some of its equipment, an attorney said.
The bankruptcy was filed Tuesday by the owner of the Makino Premium Outlets restaurant at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets mall in downtown Las Vegas.
The bankruptcy was a Chapter 11 restructuring, indicating the company plans to reorganize its debts and remain open.
There’s a second Makino Japanese food restaurant in Las Vegas at 3695 S. Decatur Blvd. That location is not involved in the bankruptcy.
An attorney for creditor Fairway Restaurant Group of Orlando, Fla., said a constable was seizing equipment from the downtown Makino restaurant on Tuesday when the bankruptcy was filed. Despite the seizure of equipment, the restaurant was open Wednesday at the busy mall.
Tuesday’s bankruptcy filing by Makino Premium Outlet LV LLC lists a debt of nearly $370,000 owed to Fairway.
The constable was seizing equipment to execute on a judgment dating to 2008 in a lawsuit over allegedly unpaid bills owed to Fairway, Fairway attorney R. Duane Frizell in Las Vegas said.
A request for comment was placed with Makino’s bankruptcy attorney.
Makino Premium Outlet LV LLC in its bankruptcy filing listed assets of $30,000 against liabilities of nearly $538,000.
Makino’s website says the Decatur location opened in 1999 while the Premium Outlets restaurant opened in 2004.
“Makino Gourmet Sushi & Seafood Buffet,” as Makino calls itself, was founded by international sushi chef Kaku Makino, the Makino website says.
The Premium Outlets Makino restaurant business is owned by Masako Ishitsuka, who holds an 80 percent interest; and Joon Ho Ha, who has a 20 percent interest, the bankruptcy filing says.