Downtown has lost another restaurant.

Mono Mono Hot Korean Fried Chicken closed last week for good after four years at 1550 Blake St.

Owner J.W. Lee, who operates 21 other restaurants in Colorado and one in New York City, said rising costs combined with a downtick in business contributed to the spot’s downfall.

Lee said sales are down anywhere from 25% to 35% this year across his entire fleet of restaurants, which operate under Seoul Hospitality Group. He said about a third of his ingredients, such as spices and herbs, come from Korea, and costs for those have jumped 20% since President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect.

“Before any of this, my calculations were negative,” Lee said, explaining that Mono Mono wasn’t expected to turn a profit even before the macroeconomic factors set in

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