In good news for fans of yum cha wherever they may find it, the folks behind Brisbane institution King of Kings say the restaurant has not permanently closed its doors. Instead, management says the restaurant is merely undergoing a facelift.
“We are pleased to announce we will be closed for major renovations,” the team said in a Facebook post last night.
“We will reopen May 2020. Thank you for your support!”
Broadsheet and 7 News reported on news of the restaurant’s closure yesterday, stating the Fortitude Valley hotspot had ceased trading after 32 delicious years.
While Broadsheet was unable to contact the restaurant’s management (PEDESTRIAN.TV also tried calling a number listed on the eatery’s Facebook page, but the line appears to have been disconnected), the co-owner of nearby Super Bowl Chinese Restaurant said there had been a severe drop-off in trade due to community fears over the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Citing reports that King of Kings had permanently closed, management posted this little tidbit as proof to the contrary:
A closure would have mirrored the closure of Melbourne favourite Shark Fin House, which went dark this month due to cratering visitor numbers.
While it appears customer numbers to Chinese establishments have fallen in recent weeks, Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have also urged hungry Australians to continue visiting their favourite Chinese establishments.
The situation is precarious, and Australia is moving to activate its emergency plan in the potential announcement of a pandemic, but it appears Brisbane’s beloved King of Kings will reemerge in the not-too-distant future.
