They rise quickly and fade just as fast — five themed restaurants have already closed down.

▲The closure of the Chibi Maruko-chan themed restaurant has left many fans who hadn't yet made a pilgrimage feeling disappointed. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Reporter Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Taiwan’s first officially licensed overseas Chibi Maruko-chan themed restaurant ceased operations on October 1, leaving many fans saddened. In recent years, themed restaurants have been all the rage, with new ones opening one after another. However, their popularity often fades quickly, and when foot traffic declines along with the expiration of licenses, closure becomes the operators’ choice. Besides the Chibi Maruko-chan themed restaurant, other closed themed spots include the Pompompurin café, the Rody horse-themed Caffè Rody, the Miffy rabbit-themed café, and the Barbie-themed restaurant.

Taiwan’s first officially licensed overseas Chibi Maruko-chan themed restaurant opened last year (2016) in October. But right on the one-year anniversary, the official Facebook page of the Chibi Maruko-chan themed restaurant suddenly posted an announcement on October 1 stating that the restaurant would be suspending operations from that day forward. The restaurant’s owner, Mr. Huang, explained that although they had initially planned to renew the one-year license agreement and even considered expanding to Taichung, the two parties could not reach a consensus on the licensing terms. As a result, the Chibi Maruko-chan themed restaurant closed after October 1. The sudden closure caught some fans off guard and left many feeling regretful.

The highly popular Pompompurin restaurant in Japan officially opened on January 19, 2016, but also shut down after just one year (on February 5, 2017). It is understood that poor business performance was the main reason. Meanwhile, the Miffy rabbit-themed café, which opened in April 2015 at the Zhonghe Uni-President Department Store, also closed in March 2017.


▲Mexican rice at the Pompompurin restaurant. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)