MINNEAPOLIS — The corner of Hennepin Avenue and West 28th Street in south Minneapolis will never quite be the same.
KinhDo Restaurant, which opened at the intersection nearly 40 years ago, announced it will serve its last customers on Saturday, April 29. Initially, staff planned to stay open until Sunday, April 30 but quickly started to run out of food as the weekend progressed.
Customers stood in line outside to get one last meal from the Uptown restaurant.
"I feel so sad because this is one of my favorite places," Emma Berglund said.
Berglund said she and her daughter used to live just two blocks from the restaurant and would frequent it often.
"It was perfect because they serve huge portions... I was a single mom so it was one meal for all day that could feed both of us," Berglund said.
Another customer, Keith Daniel, shared memories of his mother's love for the restaurant.
"My mother loved coming to KinhDo. Approximately 10 years ago, she passed away, and my family had her celebration of life here," Daniel said.
In February 2022, KARE 11 spoke with owner Dathao Phan, who said COVID-19, civil unrest and an increase in rent presented challenges that ultimately brought her family business to a crossroads.
Phan's son Jonathan started a GoFundMe last year in an effort to help keep the business alive, but in an update to the page Thursday, he said his family has made the decision to close up shop.
"I am sad to say that my parents have decided to close KinhDo," the post said. "My mom was hoping to close at the end of summer and discussed the exit strategy with her employees. Unfortunately, one employee decided to quit. KinhDo was already short-staffed, but without that employee's help, my mom isn't able to keep the restaurant open."
Jonathan wrote that with the money raised by the fund, the family hopes to give bonuses to remaining employees to help lessen their financial burdens as a result of KinhDo's closure.
"These employees are my extended family. They have always been there for me, and I am hoping I can give them some relief as they try to find other jobs. Any amount will help."
KinhDo was opened in 1986 by Phan's parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam "with hopes of a better life for their family," Jonathan wrote.
"They were able see their dream come true when they opened KinhDo."
As of 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, the fundraiser had raised more than $36,000 — over $10,000 more than its original goal.
Phan said her husband started another job. She also shared about plans for her future.
"Spend time with my kids. I have a three-year-old who was born right before COVID hit and he really hasn't seen his mom much. And I have a 7-year-old who misses her mom, and our 16-year-old is raising her siblings," Phan said.
Berglund shared a final message for the restaurant staff:
"So many iconic places in Minneapolis have closed and... Uptown will not be the same without you guys," Berglund said.
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