Moshi Moshi owner sells popular sushi restaurant, blames Seattle’s ‘economically destructive’ policies

The former co-owner of Moshi Moshi Sushi & Izakaya announced last week that he will sell the restaurant due to “severe burnout” from operating in Seattle.

Charlie Anthe informed his followers of the sale via a LinkedIn post, stating that his final day as an owner of the popular sushi restaurant would be Dec. 7.

Anthe cited the City of Seattle’s “economically destructive” policies as an attack on small business owners, stating that several taxes have pushed him to take a break from the hospitality sector altogether.

“Trying to maintain my own business while this city endeavors to make it nearly impossible for small businesses (especially restaurants) to survive was challenging enough,” Anthe stated. “Listening to the same challenges faced by my peers and then trying to represent them to our city’s elected leaders, only to be met with indifference, derision, and outright hostility and name-calling, was agonizing and demoralizing.”

Moshi Moshi owner blames Seattle policies for small business struggles

Anthe raised concerns over Seattle’s decision to eliminate the tip credit for businesses with fewer than 500 workers. The elimination of the tip credit forced the city’s small businesses to pay the full minimum wage, ending the possibility of offsetting wages with tips.

Anthe claimed that the change raised Moshi’s hourly wage by more than 20% and resulted in no increase in income for his staff. Furthermore, Anthe stated the loss of the tip credit was the driving factor for the restaurant cutting weekday lunch, which decreased the business’s labor hours by 20%.

“When I and about a dozen other restaurant owners went to city hall to testify on a proposal to extend the tip credit, we were shouted at, belittled, doxed on social media, review bombed, and I had folks actively wishing for me to go bankrupt (tell me how that’s ‘worker friendly?’),” Anthe wrote.

As co-owner of Moshi Moshi for nearly seven years, Anthe also served as the President of the Seattle Restaurant Alliance, a position he has held for nearly two years.

Anthe said he hopes to stay in the hospitality industry but plans to take an extended break before pursuing his next venture.

“I am intentionally not making any future plans at the moment,” Anthe stated. “We are taking a month off to recuperate and de-stress before making any more big decisions. I’d love to stay hospitality-adjacent in some way but also combine my technical and business skills into something productive. When I’m ready to look for my next chapter, I’ll be sure to post.”

Moshi has been recognized as one of the 10 Best Japanese Restaurants in Seattle by USA Today, one of the Best Sushi Bars and Restaurants in Seattle by Wanderlog, and has a stellar 4.7 out of 5 stars from nearly 700 OpenTable reviews.

Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.