NIPIGON — Hieu-Van “Huey” Truong came to Canada from Vietnam in 1983, and began his dogged quest to establish a business.
Long days at work for Chinese restaurants enabled Truong to save up enough money to eventually open his own restaurant in Nipigon. In 1988, China Gardens was born on Front Street in the lakeside town.
Thirty-eight years later, Truong is selling the business and retiring.
Loyal China Gardens customers recently gave Truong, 68, a big sendoff complete with karaoke and a full house at the bar.
Customers were encouraged to sign commemorative t-shirts and wish Truong and his wife all the best in their retirement.
Troong told Dougall Media he’ll “never forget that memory” of the June 13 sendoff.
It was touching to see so many patrons come in to say goodbye, he said. “They make me so happy.”
He and other Nipigon residents come from rather different cultures, he said, “but we always share the heart together and we always love together. We’re like family.”
He said running China Gardens was a seven-days-a-week labour of love.
“I never (went) anywhere because I love my customers so much.”
Tuyet Lan “Lani” Thi Huynh, his wife, said “lots of good memories” were built over their decades of serving Asian food to Nipigon.
“But we’re getting old, and it’s better for younger people to run the restaurant and “make the business better,” she said. “So somebody’s going to buy this place.”
Asked whether the new owner will continue running the business as a Chinese restaurant, she said “we don’t know that yet.”
Patrons who spoke to Dougall Media were effusive in their praise of Truong.
“I met Huey like 20-something years ago and I couldn’t understand a word he said,” one man recalled. “But I had the most fun with him ever. He’s a great person.”
“I worked for Huey when I was 19 years old,” said a female patron. “He was the best boss I ever had.”
