The Emerald of Siam asked for help. Here’s how it’s going
The Emerald of Siam Thai Restaurant in Richland has raised more than $62,000 to support kitchen repairs necessitated by a failing vent hood.
The beloved Richland restaurant is attempting to raise $100,000 on the GoFundMe crowdsourcing platform to cover the cost of repairs as well as downtime during two weeks of construction.
Brenton Nundahl, general manager, said Emerald of Siam has raised enough to schedule repairs but will continue to solicit donations to cover the loss of business.
To date, 467 individuals have supported the campaign, billed as a community effort to save a beloved institution.
Emerald of Siam must replace and relocate the aging vent hood at its longtime home at 1314 Jadwin Ave., in the Uptown Shopping Center.
The hood pulls heat, smoke, steam and other material out of the kitchen and is a critical piece of equipment.
There is no simple fix.
The kitchen has to be reconfigured to place the next hood in a code-compliant spot along the wall.
As a small, family-owned business, it couldn’t afford to take on debt to pay for repairs to a building it leases.
Nundahl said work should begin in late August or early September and will take about two weeks.
The GoFundMe campaign is still active and future fundraisers are planned to support the business, known for embracing diversity in all its forms.
Go to emeraldofsiam.com