It’s a new chapter for the former Mee Heng Low Noodle House in San Luis Obispo’s historic Chinatown.
The restaurant, known locally for being one of the oldest businesses in the city, closed its doors back in August. The restaurant chef and manager told KSBY News it was due to the uncertainty surrounding the impending sale of the building Mee Heng Low occupies.
The Karson Butler Hospitality Company has announced they will be taking over the building, transforming it into the newly renovated Mee Heng Low Social Club.
Mee Heng Low will now house the Mahjong Social Club with membership, game lessons, open play, table reservations, and opportunities for private gatherings. The club will also feature a selection of retail items, selling mahjong-inspired souvenirs.
The hospitality company says despite the transition, dining and community will still be deeply connected to the storefront with rotating pop-up chefs and culinary residencies focused on the tradition of authentic Chinese and Asian cuisine along the Central Coast.
The move to reopen Mee Heng Low is one celebrated by the Gin family, the original owners of the Noodle House.
Mee Heng Low has always been a place for family and community, said Mike Gin, our family has so many memories heresharing meals, celebrating milestones and playing mahjong together. We are excited to see the building continue as a place where people can gather and create memories of their own.
Its been a long and winding road for the restaurant, which has passed through a variety of owners and chefs through the years. For frequent customers and SLO residents alike, it was a blow, especially after the restaurant received a $50,000 historic restaurant grant back in January.
However, the new owners, sisters Amber Karson and Emily Butler, aim to retain the historical charm that dazzled the city for so many years.
San Luis Obispos Chinatown isnt simply a place that used to beit is still here, still evolving and still has stories to tell. We want to build something vibrant and sustainable that gives people new reasons to experience this remarkable corner of Palm Street while honoring everything that came before, Karson said.
Karson and Butler also own the Ah Louis Store located across the street from the former Mee Heng Low on Palm Street for almost 10 years.
Opening dates, along with chef pop-up dates and mahjong information, will be announced in the coming weeks.
For the latest information, visit karsonbutler.com/meehenglowsocialclub.