This is the “messy divorce” of the Richmond/Vancouver food scene that we’ve all been tracking, and we finally have an update on the breakup.
If you remember our post from last month, the Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba franchise essentially “disowned” its Kerrisdale location overnight in a very public, very awkward Instagram post. Since then, the Kerrisdale shop has been operating under the hilariously petty handle @not_kokoro_kerrisdale. But the silence has finally been broken, and the “Not Kokoro” era is officially over.
“We Were on Our Own”: The Falling Out
For those who missed the initial chaos, the relationship between the Kerrisdale branch and the main Kokoro franchise crumbled in March 2026. After a month of speculation, the team behind the Kerrisdale location released a long, surprisingly vulnerable statement.
They admitted to signing on at just 25 years old with zero industry experience, expecting mentorship and structure. Instead, they claim they were left to navigate the brutal restaurant industry entirely alone. “Every mistake, every lesson, every hard call. We figured it out alone,” the post read. It seems the “Kokoro” brand they signed up for slowly stopped being something they actually believed in.
Say Hello to “Soft Spot”
Instead of closing down, the team is leaning into their independence. They are officially rebranding as Soft Spot, located at:
📍 Address: 2285 W 41st Ave, Vancouver, BC V6M 2A3
It’s the same corner, the same staff, and the same community focus, but they are finally dropping the franchise shackles. This explains why they’ve been slowly stripping the Kokoro branding over the last few weeks. They are moving away from the rigid franchise menu to build something “authentically them” on their own terms.
The Community Rallies Behind the Underdog
If the franchise was hoping for a cold shoulder, they didn’t get it. The community reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Since the announcement, the comments have been flooded with regulars and neighbours congratulating the team on their bravery. Many are praising the “Soft Spot” name and are already planning their first visit to support the new independent era. It’s clear that Kerrisdale is choosing the people over the brand.
Meanwhile, Over in Richmond…
While Kerrisdale is going independent, the actual Kokoro franchise isn’t going anywhere. As we recently reported, Ironwood Kokoro has officially closed its doors to make a strategic move. They are currently preparing to reopen at the brand-new CF Richmond Centre development very soon.
It looks like the franchise is trading the quiet streets of Kerrisdale for the high-traffic “Restaurant Row” on Park Road. Whether the “drama” follows them to the mall remains to be seen, but for now, the Kokoro map looks very different than it did two months ago.
