Galin of Handler with Pennington and Cohen of Ripco handle 3,400 s/f; Gibbs of CWM reps tenant, Wasabi

Handler Real Estate Organization has signed Wasabi, London-based sushi and bento chain, to a 3,400 s/f lease at 561 Seventh Ave. As Wasabi's first branch in the United States, the two-floor flagship space will pave the way for other Manhattan locations the company plans to open over the next 18-24 months.The landlord, Handler Real Estate Organization, was represented internally in the transaction by principal Scott Galin, and Jason Pennington and Brad Cohen of Ripco Realty. Simon Gibbs, of CWM, represented the tenant. Wasabi will open its flagship branch at 561 Seventh Ave. in spring 2013. The restaurant includes 2,200 square feet on the ground floor and mezzanine level, with seating for in-house dining. Wasabi's marketing manager Anokhee Karia said, "Scott Galin and his team at Handler absolutely understand what Wasabi is all about: healthy, authentic, and affordable Japanese cuisine, served fresh daily, in a beautiful, convenient environment." "Wasabi is a fabulous, well-recognized establishment with aggressive expansion plans in New York City," Galin said. "They quite specifically wanted 561 Seventh Avenue as their flagship store. They love this location." Karia also said that Wasabi is committed to food excellence. "For meat and fish, we choose only highly regarded and quality suppliers," she said. "We are one of the few brands to buy Scottish salmon, and we try where possible to source the best we possibly can." Emerging from its Fashion District roots, Times Square South has continued its transformation into a diverse, in-demand neighborhood. Home to a wide range of office tenants, new hotels, retailers, residential developments, and restaurants, the rapidly evolving streetscape ranges as far west as Eighth Ave. and south to 38th Street. Situated at the northeast corner of West 40th Street and Broadway, the nearly 100-percent leased 561 Seventh Ave. is an 81,214-square-foot office tower with 24-hour/7-day access, an attended lobby, and on-site security. Established in 2003, and with 29 branches in London alone, Wasabi became the first company in London to sell individually wrapped pieces of sushi, with the aim of revolutionizing the lunchtime market and providing a healthy an alternative to sandwiches. The restaurant presents sushi, sashimi, seasonal salads, and hot authentic dishes such as bento boxes, Chicken Katsu curry, and Teriyaki Chicken. All meals are prepared daily, competitively priced, served in a vibrant, clean, minimalist Japanese setting, with fast, efficient service. Handler Real Estate Organization is a boutique, full service real estate company based in New York City. For more than half a century, the "Handler Brand" has been synonymous with the ownership, management, and leasing of "premium" real estate in New York City as well as throughout the country. Handler has an expansive and growing real estate platform that includes, Property Ownership, Property Management, Landlord and Tenant Leasing Services, Real Estate Advisory Services and Real Property Acquisitions. Handler is also an owner and investor of several commercial real estate properties.