Kevin Bui
SELF TOLD
WCCDA Narrative Series | Seventeen
DEC 2022
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Huong Xua Deli Mural 2022 by WCCDA
My name is Kevin Bui. I am the owner of Huong Xua Deli, located in the central business core of White Center. I was 12 years old when I moved from Vietnam to Washington in 1990. My family lived in Seattle, and I attended Ballard High. But White Center is where many of my friends and families grew up. To us, White Center is our home.
Kevin and [wife?] from GoFundMe page
Banh Mi from Restaurantguru.com
Growing up, my family and I went through many struggles. I did not have many opportunities and had to work to support myself and my family. When we had the chance to be able to do so, my wife, Phuong, and I wanted to start a family business. We wanted something meaningful to our family and community and to support our well-being. When my wife found a newspaper advertisement for Huong Xua Deli, we were immediately inspired to buy the business. We had no reservations. We know that culture brings happiness and people together. So, we were excited for the opportunity to continue to bring our community together through food. We thought it was perfect. Growing up, my family and I went through many struggles. I did not have many opportunities and had to work to support myself and my family. When we had the chance to be able to do so, my wife, Phuong, and I wanted to start a family business. We wanted something meaningful to our family and community and to support our well-being. When my wife found a newspaper advertisement for Huong Xua Deli, we were immediately inspired to buy the business. We had no reservations. We know that culture brings happiness and people together. So, we were excited for the opportunity to continue to bring our community together through food. We thought it was perfect.
We purchased this legacy business in 2019. Everything was ready for us when we bought it from the past owner, and our business started out well. Our roasted pork sandwich got an award in the Seattle Times for the best banh mi in Puget Sound. It was a blessing.
Deli space before fire accident by Zomato
But soon after, COVID happened, and we started to face many challenges. On top of that, the White Center commercial core suffered multiple fires in 2021. Our store was devastated by one of the fires, and we had to close completely. Despite the challenges, we have not given up. We have been working alongside the CDA and other businesses to fight and advocate for White Center to have the resources we need to recover and rebuild.
Because our business was not a year old when COVID happened, we were not eligible for some funding like the state funding. We were able to receive the first round of grant funding from the county. However, the funding amount will not be enough to cover the cost of rebuilding. But I have been involved in conversations with the Department of Local Services and Joe McDermitt. We are asking for additional funding to support the cost of equipment, utilities, and rent. We have a good relationship with my property owner, and they have been supportive of us throughout this challenging time. However, they are running a family business, renting out their property, and they are also in need of support as well.
My family and I are deeply appreciative of the White Center community and our local government for all the support we have been able to receive. It has been a long and hard journey for us. But we are hopeful that we will be able to re-open Huong Xua Deli soon alongside other businesses that were also affected by the fires. We are hopeful that we can come together to build a better future not only for ourselves but for our entire community in White Center.
End of Narrative
Kevin and Family by WCCDA