Fans of KoFusion won’t need to travel to downtown Champaign for coconut milk curry or cocktails for much longer. Restaurant owner Janet Bubin said the sushi lounge will open a new location on campus this summer.

Bubin, who owns the restaurant with her husband, said the campus location will offer easier access to students and faculty members who enjoy KoFusion’s food, with unique options like dollar-menu sushi available throughout the week.

Matt Wavering, director of commercial brokerage at Coldwell Banker Commercial Devonshire Realty, said he looked for possible locations with the Bubins for six months, preferably for an area on Green Street.

Eventually, they became aware of an available campus location in Urbana through JSM Development.

Wavering and the Bubins realized there are a lot of benefits for Gregory Place West, the open area, and they agreed upon the location, Wavering said.

“The Krannert Center for Performing Arts is very close to Gregory Place West, which many people travel to, not only from places on campus, but from additional areas as well,” Wavering said. “Dining options near Krannert are mostly fast food, so KoFusion’s new location will provide a unique and attractive dining option for the Urbana area.”

Wavering added there are other benefits, such as lower costs, in contrast to other potential locations. 

JSM will help design a modern and urban aesthetic for KoFusion’s new location, which will make it stand out even further, Wavering said.

Lukasz Kosakowski, freshman in Engineering, said he looks forward to eating at KoFusion’s new Urbana location when he returns to campus in the fall. 

Kosakowski dined at KoFusion earlier this semester with his parents, and he joked that the food made for a great meal and the sit-down less awkward as a result.

However, Kosakowski added that he is unsure if the new location will regularly attract his group of friends and similar students.

“(We are) usually fine with a quick meal and may only option for something like KoFusion on very special occasions,” Kosakowski said. “I generally stick to the Champaign side of campus, so (Kofusion’s) original location might even be closer for me and other students in the same situation. Even places on Green Street may be better for proximity’s sake.”

But Kosakowski noted the strong appeal of dollar-menu sushi. He said the new location will definitely stay on his radar for the future.

Adlai can be reached at [email protected].