Creative twists on traditional Asian favorites are the trademarks of Poke Burri, which just opened in the new Victory building in Avondale
by Lorne Chambers | editor
The first tenant of the new Victory building in Avondale has officially opened its doors. The long-awaited debut of Poke Burri CHS was met with excitement last month after weeks of teasing locals with mouth-watering images on social media of poke bowls, sushi burritos, sushi corndogs, and sushi donuts. While Sushi Burri CHS’s menu is vast, the restaurant is kind of known for its “secret menu,” which they only announce through social media (@pokeburrichs). This is where you will find the really fun stuff, like the highly-Instagrammable sushi pizza, which they haven’t rolled out in West Ashley yet, but it’s coming, promises Sushi Burri CHS co-owner Jeff Locke.
While West Ashley has no shortage of sushi or poke options, it’s these creative concepts that make Poke Burri a little bit different. More than just pretty photos for Instagram, Poke Burri has proven itself in Atlanta, where it was founded five years ago by partners Seven Chan and Ken Yu, who went on to open three additional locations around Atlanta. The innovated fast-casual Asian fusion concept has garnered more than 50 regional and national awards and has now opened additional locations in Raleigh, Jacksonville, and Philadelphia. The West Ashley location is the ninth Poke Burri restaurant, with two more slated to open in Denver and Tampa.
Locke is a longtime Charleston food and beverage veteran and graduate of the College of Charleston. He says opening Poke Burri CHS is the culmination of a lifelong dream. According to Locke, his father, who passed away when he was young, was a self-made entrepreneur. By owning his own business, his son is now carrying on that legacy. But Locke also knows how hard it is to run a restaurant, especially in Charleston where competition is fierce and margins thin.
“I’ve always wanted to own my own business, but I swore I would never own a restaurant,” says Locke with a laugh. “But this one checks all the boxes. There were no red flags. We’re set up for the long term here.”
Locke, who co-owns the Charleston Poke Burri along with local businessman Tim Duke, says he has been working on this restaurant for the better part of the last three years. He’s been involved in nearly every part of the process in designing the restaurant, right down to the width of the grout on the tiles.
Locke and Duke are excited to bring Poke Burri’s innovative sushi and poke creations to the area. Beyond the gimmicks of sushi donuts, corndogs, and pizza, the key to Poke Burri’s success is the taste. Locke says they make everything in house, right down to the sauces.
“It just comes down to quality ingredients,” says Locke, who takes pride in supporting the local community. According to Locke, he uses local vendors for almost every aspect of the business, from local food purveyors to local restaurant equipment sales and sign companies. He is using Cotton Exchange in West Ashley for all his shirts and merch for the restaurant.
For the last decade-and-a-half, Locke has worked in nearly every aspect of the restaurant industry and he’s quite familiar with the Avondale restaurant scene. He worked across the street at Al di La and has seen the allure of the area, pulling people from the surrounding neighborhoods and beyond.
“Avondale is more of a hub than anywhere else in Charleston,” says Locke,. “When we found this location, I knew it was the right place. I’ll hang my hat on this spot.”
Poke Burri CHS is located at 835 Savannah Hwy. For more information, call (843) 887-8744 or visit pokeburri.com.
