After 116 years of service, an iconic mochi store is closing its doors in San Francisco's Japantown.
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In the early hours of the morning Thursday, a long line had already formed outside of Benkyodo as patrons waited to buy the famous goods for the last time. Lines with upwards of 100 people have been circling the block for weeks since the closure was announced on the business' website.
A customer from San Jose told KCBS Radio last Tuesday that she had begun waiting in line at 6 a.m., while another said he wasn't one of the first when he arrived at 7:30.
"Half of the block was already lined up by the time we were here," he said.
The mochi store closes whenever it sells out, making waiting in its long lines something of a gamble.
Benkyodo, located at 1747 Buchanan St., was founded in 1906 by Sueyoshi Okamura, a grandparent of the current owners, Ricky and Bobby Okamura. After years of steaming manju cakes and handcrafting fresh mochi, the duo have decided to retire.
"It's been a long time," Ricky said in a statement to KTVU, "I just want to rest."
March 31 is the final day of business for the Okamuras, and although it's unclear what kind of business will replace the historic store, the Japantown Community Benefit District said there are some encouraging signs for new business openings.
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