Nhinja Sushi: Top 100 Small Businesses 

In September, Kang and Mary Nhin’s business, Nhinja Sushi, was named one of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—a prestigious honor that recognizes their hard work, resilience, and impact on the community. This year, honorees were selected out of more than 12,500 applicants.

The First Restaurant

The Nhins opened Edmond’s first sushi restaurant in 2005. It was the result of significant financial sacrifice after thirteen banks rejected their request for a $65,000 business loan. A FSBO (For Sale By Owner) situation allowed the Nhins to finance a building and open Kang’s Asian Kitchen on 2nd Street near Bryant Square. 

“Kang had the dream of owning a restaurant when we got married, and it became my dream for him,” Mary said. “We both shared a love for sushi and wanted to bring it to our hometown, and the Edmond community opened their arms to us.”

Kang’s was a sit-down Chinese and sushi restaurant, which Mary described as “swanky.” With Kang’s success, however, came 12 to 16-hour work days, seven days a week, for the first four years. “When you’re not working, you are still always thinking about your business; what to change, upgrade, and improve,” Mary said. “It takes work ethic and mental toughness to own a business. That’s what got us through.”

Rethinking the Business

The Nhins’ second restaurant was the result of a lightbulb moment in 2008. The family was eating at Kang’s, and Mary remembers feeling embarrassed by the behavior of her two young boys at such a nice restaurant. “I realized the need for a more casual setting, a place where busy families could feel comfortable. That’s when Nhinja Sushi was born, with an order counter and take-out options.” 

The first Nhinja Sushi opened in 2010, and the family now has five locations. Each site offers quality food and Southern hospitality that generates word-of-mouth business. Mary describes it as, “Sushi made with love.” 

Mary also developed a thriving educational company during COVID called Grow Grit Press. To date, she has written 423 titles and sold over four million copies of her books. Her popular Ninja Life Hacks series, which teaches children helpful life skills, has expanded into a product line and may soon appear on television or movie screens. “I first wrote these stories for my three boys, to teach them about hard work and persistence,” Mary said. 

Big Award for a Small Business

The Nhins attended the award ceremony in Washington, D.C. Mary described the experience as surreal: “Meeting Daymond John from Shark Tank was such a full-circle moment. Hearing his story reminded me of all the late nights, the rejections, the people who said we’d never make it. Standing there, I thought about our team back home, our family, and our community, who believed in us even when it was hard.” 

The Nhins say the recognition isn’t just theirs, it’s for every small business owner who’s ever dreamed big from a small town. “Kang’s family came to this country with almost nothing. My parents immigrated to America, too, and their belief in the American Dream was passed down to me.” Mary adds, “It’s proof that grit, faith, and heart really can take you anywhere.”