King and I Thai to close December 17

By Keane Amdahl Mon., Nov. 19 2012 at 9:11 AM

Downtown Minneapolis's King and I Thai will serve its last meal on December 17

Early Saturday afternoon brought about the beginning of the end of an era as downtown Minneapolis's premier Thai-themed bar and restaurant, King and I Thai, announced it would be shutting its doors after service on December 17.

King and I Thai is at the intersection of LaSalle Avenue and Grant Street in the Loring Park neighborhood. The spot had been serving Thai-style food for over 30 years and was a favorite late-night spot for many local residents.

King and I Thai has been in business for 32 years.

We had a chance to talk to one of the owners about why King and I is closing after its long run. In the end, says Gary Haanpaa, husband to chef-owner Chavhivan "Bou" Haanpaa, it's because the building lease is coming to an end. He also cited various personal reasons that he didn't want to disclose. He said that they just felt as though it was their time to be done.

"I'm just getting old," Haanpaa says. "It's been a 30-year run, and I appreciate the customers we've had and the people that worked here. It's just time to hop on to that horse and ride into the sunset, like in the old westerns."

The announcement, which was made on their Facebook page, read:

IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT WE ANNOUNCE WE WILL BE CLOSING OUR DOORS FOR BUSINESS MONDAY DECEMBER 17TH (AFTER 32 YEARS!) DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL... WE WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND DEDICATION OVER THE YEARS! IT'S BEEN A GOOD RUN!
THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!

SINCERELY,
KING AND I THAI RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

P.S.: We will be keeping our regular hours up to our closing date...

Location Info

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King & I Thai

1346 Lasalle Ave., Minneapolis, MN

Category: Restaurant

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Downtown Minneapolis, King and I Thai, Restaurant Closing, Restaurant News

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gruidl

@ClintonLugert let me know when you go over. I want to hit a late night there before it's done. Already had my last pad see yew from K&I :(

c.carp

The service was just so bad! I live around the corner and would love to see another restaurant fill their spot, hopefully a place with staff who care and a more impressive menu. The saving grace of King and I was their DJ residencies and the great late-night lounge feel of the bar side; I can't even describe how poor the service always was at King and I though. Last weekend, a table of six of us sat down in the bar, and when the salty-attitude bearing server made her first appearance she abruptly squawked at us, "Just so you know, I'm not splitting up anyone's check." So we ordered from the bar and the server went home with no tips from us. I understand not splitting checks, but leave your poor attitude out of it.

(re-posted sans unnecessary foul language)