Longtime Tri-Cities restaurant closes. The COVID pandemic made the rent too much

A longtime Richland restaurant that has quietly been cooking up and donating meals to first responders throughout the pandemic has served its last dish — at least at its current home.

Mezzo Thai closed its doors at it Richland restaurant over the weekend.

“We have exhausted our finances and financial assistance options and have had to make the tough, short-notice decision to move from our home of over seven years,” wrote owner Jacqui Wright on a GoFundMe created to help the restaurant with the cost of moving.

Wright told the Herald that she was no longer was able to afford the lease at 110 Gage Blvd. She previously was at a central Richland location on Lee Boulevard before it closed in 2015.

She said she’s found a new permanent location, but isn’t announcing it publicly for a while until she can move into it.

Instead, Mezzo Thai will temporarily operate out of Noodle Thyme’s building at 8530 W. Gage Blvd. and reopen in early February.

Wright told the Herald that Noodle Thyme’s owner has returned to her native China for several months to see her aging parents and her daughter for the first time in several years.

By renting the kitchen temporarily it helped out both of them. Wright was able to continue operating while waiting on a permanent location and also provide the rent and finances to allow Noodle Thyme’s owner to close for a few months to see family.

Will to stay open

A Paycheck Protection Program Loan allowed Wright to keep her employees — but it didn’t go far. Wright has had enough business from takeout that she was able to keep them on the payroll.

But the building rent was too much given a loss of revenue during the state’s COVID restrictions on indoor dining. She decided she needed to move to a smaller location when her lease ended this month because closing altogether was not an option.

She said small business owners have been talking among themselves and wondering what will happen as the pandemic drags on.

“Who is going to close?’ ‘Who will go bankrupt?’ ‘Who would hire us when we’re old?’ ” said Wright, who is in her late 50s. “We are broke as anyone else. But we can’t just close.”

Not only does Wright worry about her workers, she said as a small-business owner she doesn’t have retirement built up and feels she has no choice to keep going.

“I have to work until I can’t work — to keep my brain and my body to exercise. But I need to look after my health,” she said. “I decided at this point I’m not going to do anything but pick up and delivery. We are really careful — I cannot be ill.”

“For the last 20 years I have given my heart and soul to the community through my business with my passion for fresh Thai cuisine,” Wright said. “We are humbly asking for donations to help fund our transition to eventually open in a smaller space and continue serving the community. We love this area and will continue to try our hardest to keep going.”

Wright is is hoping the the many years of her supporting causes in the community will prompt people to now support her.

During the first week of the lockdown last March, she brought meals to hospital workers. She has support Tri-Cities police foundations, Rotary clubs, United Way and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center.

In her last days of business, she was giving delivery and giving meals to staff at neighboring businesses just so the food wouldn’t going to waste.

“It feels very embarrassing to ask for money, but I’m desperate.”

If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com.