If you ever had the joy of chowing down at Japanese Market, hidden away in a strip mall on the 79th Street causeway, then you probably also mourned its closing last year, when the owners decided to retire.

This place defined lowkey – at one point the owners tried to get themselves removed from Yelp. And when they got too popular for their spot, they made a whole lot of rules to control the crowds, rather than expand to a bigger space.

But the sushi was worth it – especially for the equally lowkey price tag.

Well, Japanese Market mourners, we’ve got some great news: Erika Kushi, the owners’ daughter, just opened up her own sushi spot up the street from the old location. And before she even made an official announcement, or added herself to Yelp, the place was bumping.

We took a quick little tour of the new spot. Check it out – and then get there ASAP, before she gets so busy she has to make her own rules.

🗳️ Want to know more about Amendment 4? Join Human Rights Watch on Aug. 27 for a chat about this important issue that will be on your November ballot. If Amendment 4 passes, it will restore voting rights for 1.4 million former felons who have completed their sentences. (Florida law currently bans voting for felons for life.)

Got an opportunity, workshop, scholarship, grant, etc. you want other curious locals to know about? Hit us up at [email protected] to have it listed here.

The return of the Yumbrella. Remember the Yumbrella? Maybe not. Miami’s first food hall – which offered everything from Italian and Chinese food to 30-cent brownies from a dessert spot called Sugar Shack – closed its doors back in the 1970s. But amid Miami’s food hall craze, Sunset Place is bringing a modern version of the hall to life. (Edible South Florida)

A real fixer-upper. Miami Beach built the Indian Creek Drive sea wall without the proper permits, and now it could be looking at a costly fix, and maybe even a requirement that the city tear up some parts of the newly-built wall and start over. About 400 of the 2,700 feet of sea wall extend too far into the waterway off Indian Creek and it could cost as much as $800,000 to replace those sections of the seawall. (Miami Herald)

Spreading the wealth. Four organizations in Miami – WeCount!, the Miami Workers Center, the Community Justice Project, and the University of Miami law school’s Human Rights Clinic – are set to receive a share of $40,000 in funding from the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. You might recognize the fund’s name because it was established by stars like Oprah Winfrey and Salma Hayek in response to the #MeToo movement to provide legal aid and financial help to women who have suffered from sexual assault and harassment. Fun fact: Community Justice Project’s tweet about the grant was “liked” by TV queen Shonda Rhimes. (Miami Herald, Twitter)

The (2) Dollar Tree of coffee shops. Coffee fans in Coral Gables might miss the Starbucks that used to sit at the corner of Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon, but we’d argue that the replacement is a real upgrade. Fixpresso has taken over the space and sells coffee, food, and baked treats all for $2 each. Yup, you read that right. (Miami.com)

Protecting the palms. The Montgomery Botanical Center, home to the largest collection of palm trees in the U.S., is a hidden SoFlo gem. But thanks to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, the collection’s long-term future is looking pretty  dire. The center’s executive director predicts that the garden will lose more than 1,000 plants to sea level rise in the next 100 years. Some other causes for concern? The potential impact of saltwater flooding and increasing temperatures. (Miami Herald)

A rail reversal. Way before Brightline rolled into SoFlo, Gov. Rick Scott blocked plans for a federally funded bullet train from Orlando to Tampa. But just last month Scott said he’d support the proposal now that All Aboard Florida, the company that runs Brightline, is behind the idea. Here’s an interesting little coincidence: His reversal came after he and his wife invested millions into a credit fund for Fortress Investment Group, the parent company of All Aboard Florida. A spokesman for the governor said the investment was made through a blind trust and that Scott didn’t have any direct involvement. 🤔 (Tampa Bay Times)

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY.

Make it a great week, Miami.

– The New Tropic