Well, can't say it's a huge surprise. Less than two weeks after word broke that famed Santa Monica sushi restaurant The Hump was secretly caught serving illegal, endangered Sei whale meat to two covert activists who had joined forces with an associate producer from The Cove, the eatery shuttered effective March 20. Prior to Friday evening The Hump's once interactive website switched over to a single black screen which still reads:
"THE HUMP IS CLOSING ITS DOORS-After twelve years doing business in Santa Monica, The Hump will be closing its doors effective March 20th, 2010. The Hump hopes that by closing its doors, it will help bring awareness to the detrimental effect that illegal whaling has on the preservation of our ocean ecosystems and species. Closing the restaurant is a self-imposed punishment on top of the fine that will be meted out by the court. The Owner of The Hump also will be taking additional action to save endangered species. One such action will be to make a substantial contribution to one or more responsible organizations dedicated to the preservation of whales and other endangered species. The Hump apologizes to our loyal customers, the community of Santa Monica, and the public at large for our illegal actions. While the current difficulties faced by The Hump overshadow the many friendships formed over the years, we want our customers and friends to know how much we thank you for your support."
Curious as to the situation at the actual restaurant, Eater stopped by Sunday afternoon to see police circling The Hump's parking lot, and a sign on the window read "No photos or video allowed." A few stragglers sat on the terrace deck watching planes, and as evidenced above, the restaurant itself was completely shuttered.
Early last week The Hump issued an apology on it's website, though this was clearly not enough to keep the restaurant afloat. Angry Yelpers attacked The Hump's Yelp page, adding one star posts, though admin has since removed many non review-related listings. Lesson learned. Don't serve endangered species.
·THE HUMP IS CLOSING ITS DOORS [The Hump]
·All The Hump Coverage [~ELA~]
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