Mee Noodle Shop will stay open after all

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

It was a much different mood at Mee Noodle Shop & Grill this afternoon.

Just days after staff told us the longtime Chinese restaurant at 223 First Ave. between 13th and 14th Streets would close on July 15, there was reason to celebrate. 

Joyce Tang (below), the restaurant's de facto manager, rushed over to greet us, excitedly sharing a Chinese translation of EV Grieve's story from Wednesday about the planned closure, which she had prepared for Huang, Mee's owner.

"The boss says thanks to your story, we can keep going!" Tang said. "The landlord agreed to lower the rent by $3,000 a month, and so we continue to operate. We don't know how long, but for now, we are going forward." 

According to Tang, after discussing Mee's financial challenges, the two sides reached an agreement allowing Mee Noodle Shop to remain open. 

Huang, the owner — affectionately known as "the boss" — was on hand overseeing the lunch rush and beaming as orders streamed into the kitchen.

Earlier this week, staff told us the restaurant was being forced to close due to rising food and supply costs, steep delivery-app fees, and a decline in business. (Rent was NOT cited as a reason.)

The news comes as a welcome surprise for Mee's loyal customers. 

Since opening on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 13th Street in 1993, the restaurant has become a neighborhood institution known for its generous portions and affordable prices. The restaurant closed after a fire damaged the building in 2006, then returned to First Avenue in December 2013, just a few doors from its original location.

Tang also thanked neighbors who stopped in after reading about the restaurant's situation. 

"We were going to close, and now we can stay longer," she said. "Thank you to everyone who read the story and came to eat here. Please keep coming. We can cook for you.

"We are working things out to stay open," she added. "Your news made people help. We are grateful."