TRURO, N.S. -- The doors of a Chinese restaurant in Truro, N.S. will remain closed until next Tuesday, as the owners take extra safety precautions after returning home from China last week.
Sophie Luo, the owner of Ho-Ho Wok Restaurant, says she and her husband were visiting family in Hong Kong from Jan. 9 to Jan. 28.
“In China, everybody is scared and is wearing the masks,” she says. “Every day we would watch the news, it is so scary.”
Neither Luo nor her husband has developed any symptoms of the disease.
Luo says, even though they were 12 hours away from the affected area of Wuhan, they felt it would be best to keep the restaurant closed until they were certain customers would not be at risk of contracting coronavirus.
The decision to shut down for a couple of weeks is being applauded by customers and the town’s mayor.
“They are our star citizens of the town right now,” says Mayor Bill Mills. “I can’t thank them enough, and I know when they reopen there will certainly be many people coming in and surely helping them to make up for losses for being closed.”
“I think it was quite responsible of them,” says one customer who arrived at the restaurant Wednesday for lunch, only to find the closed sign on the door.
Luo admits her business is taking a financial hit with its temporary closure, but says that isn’t her primary concern.
“The most important thing right now is our customers,” she adds. “I’m not thinking about the money right now. I just think customers first – and healthy.”
So far, Luo says her family in Hong Kong remains in good health. She speaks with her mother and sister every day to see if anyone has developed any coronavirus symptoms.
Ho-Ho Wok Restaurant will reopen its doors on Tuesday, Feb. 11, just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend, and customers say they’re already looking forward to their next meal.
