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Giwa, the Korean restaurant in Rittenhouse, is moving nearby

The new location will be on the next block, at 1722 Sansom St.

    by Michael Klein
    Published 

Yong Chi, who opened the snug Korean fast-fooder Giwa 10 years ago at 1608 Sansom St., has secured a larger space on the next block for what he calls a "more exciting version."

The new location will be 1722 Sansom St., the former La Creperie Cafe, which closed early this year after an 18-year run. It's next door to SuGa and across from the Sofitel.

The new Giwa concept, which should open in spring 2017, is still a work-in-progress. "We're moving, expanding and, most important, reinventing," Chi said.

For now, Giwa continues apace in its current location, which many Center Citizens still remember as the How-To-Do-It Book Shop, a quirky destination in the pre-Amazon era.

Chi also owns Rice & Mix, a fast-casual Korean spot at 1207 Walnut St., and sells his own hot sauce.

Veronica Blum and Joe Scarpone of MPN Realty handled the deal.