Audio story by Alexa Rios Soto
Downtown San Luis Obispo’s Mee Heng Low, a former restaurant in the historic Chinatown district, will reopen as a social club with pop-up dining and shopping after its late August closure.
Karson Butler Hospitality Co., or KBHC, will operate the space. Twin sisters Amber Karson and Emily Butler saw an opportunity to connect the historic Ah Louis Store to the restaurant, according to a press release. They plan to host rotating pop-up dinners focused on Asian cuisines and use the space as a home to the Mahjong Social Club of San Luis Obispo.
Russell Kwong is the son of the previous owner and is in support of the new changes.
“I have had that restaurant longer than my childhood home. It’s been with me for over half my life. It’s a troublesome loss,” Kwong said. “I’m glad that someone is taking over and respecting the space. I think it’s going into good hands.”
The original owners of Mee Heng Low, the Gin family, passed down ownership through their family over the years. Mike Gin was the last owner in the Gin family.
“We are excited to see the building continue as a place where people can gather and create memories of their own,” Gin said. “We’re very grateful for the commitment and the vision from Amber and Emily to help keep this historic part of Chinatown in SLO alive,” Gin said.
The Gin family entrusted Karson and Butler to bring a new twist to a nearly 100-year-old building.
“Chinatown isn’t simply a place that [it] used to be. It is still here, still evolving and still has stories to tell,” Karson said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to care for this place, to learn from the people who know its history best and to carry those stories forward as Mee Heng Low begins its next chapter.”
Environmental management freshman Lena Hart sees the reopening as an opportunity to try more asian cuisine.
“I think that’s definitely something I would go to. It sounds like it could be a community center, which could be really great for the San Luis Obispo area,” Hart said.
For English freshman Avery Schmidt, the prospect of trying new food is almost as exciting as trying a new location.
“I like to try different types of food. I don’t like to go to Chinese restaurants specifically, but I think I’d just be interested in trying any new locations that opened up,” Schmidt said.
The Mee Heng Low restaurant reopening currently has no set date, but it will reach the 100-year milestone in 2027.