Win Sushi & More prepares for opening in downtown Johnson City

A new restaurant is preparing to open in downtown Johnson City in the old GenTea location. Win Sushi & More, owned by Maria Simon and her husband, Saw "Simon" Simon, is bringing an assortment of sushi rolls, ramen and donburi and poke bowls to the downtown scene. The husband-and-wife duo said opening their business in the district is something they are eager to finally see come to fruition. "We are so excited – and so tired," Maria said with a laugh. Simon said the food will be a mix of standard sushi rolls, such as the Philadelphia Roll and Dragon Roll. There will also be a choice between raw fish rolls and cooked rolls, as well as Maria and Simon's personal influences in the menu, such as their Unagi Lover's Roll — which incorporates barbecue eel — or the Win's Special Bowl, a poke bowl with a combination of tuna, crab, salmon and assorted veggies and sauces. Simon added that, for those not particularly interested in sushi, the donburi bowls provide a chicken or beef teriyaki and rice option, and the ramen bowls provide vegetarian, chicken or pork options. The married pair also said they had the dream to start their own business for a couple of years now. After working in the sushi industry for a decade, Maria and Simon said their love for the food caused them to branch out to start Win Sushi & More. "You're making your own way, starting from the menu," Simon said. "Now that everything's done, we're so happy," added Maria. "We're so excited to open." Maria and Simon said preparing the location has taken around a month-and-a-half to complete with the amount of renovations completed, including plumbing, painting and the addition of a large countertop to check out customers. The work, though a lot to complete in a month, has only made each of them more excited to get their doors open. Simon said that while he and Maria looked regionally for a location for the business, they both wanted to be in downtown Johnson City to be a part of its growth. "Everybody knows downtown, so it's easier," Maria said. "It's easier to find, and we are more connected to the people," added Simon. "Even though parking can be an issue, it's just downtown, you know?" Win Sushi & More will celebrate its soft opening on Tuesday and will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday. The sushi restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on Nov. 9 and will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The restaurant is located at 325 E. Main St. As the new small business owners get ready to open the doors, each said they were happy to bring new food to their community. "We only wanted to be in Johnson City," Maria said. "We wanted Johnson City [because] we call it our home," added Simon.