One of the new owners Luis Castillo, right, has breathed new life into Sushiville Gresham.

There is a new, vibrant energy within one of Gresham’s longest standing sushi restaurants — the quality and variety of food has been improved; the space is cleaner; there is an extra pep in the step of employees, some of whom have been there for more than a decade.

All of it is thanks to a change in ownership at Sushiville, a go-around restaurant in Gresham Station, where the delicious offerings come to you via a conveyer belt. With Jamy D’Agostino and her husband Luis Castillo at the helm, things are looking bright.

“Right when you walk in you will notice things are different,” D’Agostino said. “Sushiville is doing great things and we have put a tremendous amount of hours into this place.”

The pair were the perfect fit for Sushiville. They have been in the hospitality industry their whole lives, and had been eyeing the purchase of a restaurant, bar or coffee shop as their next venture in life.

“We knew this would be a great adventure and challenge to take on,” D’Agostino said. “We had a lot of work to build this place back up — but we love serving people and being a part of the restaurant industry.”

Sushiville

Where: 663 N.W. Division St.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

Call: 503-465-0111

Instagram: @Sushivillegresham

Facebook: Sushiville Gresham

For a few years Sushiville, 663 N.W. Division St., was lagging behind its standards. The previous owners got pulled away in too many directions, including an illness that made it difficult to have a hands-on presence at the restaurant. That led quality to plummet, as the employees were left without any guidance or supervision.

The new owners didn’t want to tinker too much. They kept the bulk of the menu, instead introducing additional items while bringing some quality of life updates to the restaurant.

“We listened to the guests about what they wanted: more variety on the belt, bringing back a loyalty program, better marketing/specials,” D’Agostino said.

So the couple got to work. The first, and most important step, was addressing the food. They secured better suppliers and higher quality ingredients, ensured the whole menu was being utilized, and introduced new items (including specialty rolls, drinks and desserts).

“The staff is incredibly talented, so we let the sushi chefs create some new items for the menu,” D’Agostino said.

Right now there are 25 rolls available — all the classics alongside some of those inventive creations (look for the Rocky Butte, a fried roll with crab salad and salmon, which regulars rave about).

How conveyer belt sushi works for anyone who hasn’t been in: customers can take a seat around the belt that encircles the kitchen, allowing them to watch the sushi masters at work. Plates of food are placed on the belt, and people can grab any that look tasty. Prices are based on the color of plate (Orange, Blue, Pink and Grey appear on the conveyer, Gold has to be ordered special off the menu) and you pay at the end based on that colorful stack.

“You have a seat, order off the menu, or just grab straight from the belt,” D’Agostino said.

There are also menus to special order items, and options for takeout or delivery (hit the “order online” button beneath their Google search page).

All of that makes for the perfect meal for all sorts of people, including those who are in a hurry and need to grab a few items right away; or those who want to sample and enjoy a bunch of different items without committing to a giant roll.

In addition to sushi there is yakisoba, tempura, poke bowls, and bento boxes.

“It warms my heart people are enjoying what we have to offer,” D’Agostino said.

They brought back the loyalty program in the form of a digital tracking system, which leads to free offerings for repeat customers; improved the online ordering and delivery system; and created a whole marketing campaign from scratch, getting word out on social media about all the exciting changes.

The new owners of Sushiville have been loving life at the helm. They are nearing the one year anniversary of buying the restaurant — keep an eye out for a shindig in June, which will include free offerings.

“This is a place with a lot of history — customers have been coming here for decades,” D’Agostino said. “We love that aspect about the restaurant, so our goal was to bring it back to that go-to spot for families.”