Kikku Japanese restaurant wins extreme makeover

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A popular lunch spot in Downtown Fresno won an extreme makeover thanks to a first time competition.

Before the lunch time crowd arrived at Kikku Japanese Food on Monday the small Downtown Fresno restaurant on Tulare Street was celebrating a new beginning.

"It's a big change for us," said Andri Wahyudi. "And everything looks pretty nice."

That change was made possible thanks to the Downtown Fresno Foundation's Inaugural Restaurant Makeover Competition.

The foundation says it's designed to help showcase downtown restaurants and provide local businesses with support to give their restaurant a facelift.

Aaron Blair with the Downtown Fresno Partnership said, "Things like this are critical. It just keeps the momentum going in downtown and it inspires a sense of passion in people that are coming from the community to donate their services."

More than $25,000 of services was donated for the makeover that took place over the weekend. Within 48 hours the restaurant received a fresh coat of paint, new furniture and a new sign outside.

Kikku is a family owned business that's been in downtown for 14 years. And the owners see this as new opportunity to set new goals in the future.

"We're planning to get a wine and spirits license," said Andri Wahyudi. "So we're trying to revive the night time in downtown, night time business. So people want to come downtown at night."

But for now the restaurant remains a popular spot in the daytime with its sushi and popular spicy and crispy chicken dish.

"We're blessed," said Andri Wahyudi. "We're grateful, very grateful for everybody's support."