"We have to do our best to heal": Bloomington restaurant Cô Tu' reopens after deadly shooting
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Nearly two months after closing its doors, Bloomington Vietnamese restaurant Cô Tu' is reopening. The restaurant began welcoming customers back at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The restaurant closed its doors after a deadly shooting left a loyal customer dead and a server hurt the day before Thanksgiving.
Sisters Mai and Thao Trinh and Thao's husband Cuong Au said the family-owned business has spent the time off working to heal and to give the restaurant a new look.
"[We've been] sad," said Cuong Au. "We've been very sad. It was like any other day, but suddenly it was interrupted, tragically, and it changed everything."
"Yes, it's very sad and it happened, but we have to do our best to heal, to let it go and move on," said Thao Trinh.
Some of the money from the GoFundMe set up shortly after the shooting has been set aside to help the server hurt in the shooting – Thao and Cuong's son and Mai's nephew. They said he still needs surgery in the future.
"He has worked hard to recover from the incident to give himself peace of mind, but he's still a little bit terrified to think about coming back to the restaurant," said Thao. "But we, as his mom and dad, try to comfort him to not be afraid to come back and remember the joy of serving our customers and to do his best to heal, to let it go and move on."
The family has also used some of the GoFundMe money to update the restaurant, including reupholstering the dining booths, adding a fresh coat of paint and brand-new flooring, as well as a couple of new TV monitors.
"That incident, it just happened inside our restaurant," said Au. "Nobody thought that it could ever happen, and nobody wanted it to happen. It was a personal vendetta. Unfortunately, [the suspect] came to our restaurant. After all that's happened, we will work hard to get our business back to like it was before and that's why we've decided to keep this place."
The owners said in the early days following the shooting, they weren't sure what they would do and whether they would reopen, but sought guidance from their mother, whom they named the restaurant after.
"After it all happened, my mother said we have to close our business and pray for the victim for 49 days as part of the Buddhist ritual. After 49 days we could open our doors, so we did what my mother said," said Mai Trinh.
The victim was 49-year-old Tu Phan, whom the owners said was a loyal customer.
"We got to know each other well, but everyone is different with their own thoughts and social life, and the incident happened to him unexpectedly and cost his life," said Au. "Life is unpredictable. One day you're here and one day you're not, [but] yes, we will remember him because he was very nice."
Police said a man fueled by jealousy targeted Phan, shooting and killing him. Authorities arrested Aaron Le, and he faces murder charges.
The owners also said closing the restaurant permanently or selling it and moving locations wasn't an option because of the community support they've felt following the tragedy.
"I've lived here for years so I know a lot of the people and the neighborhoods around here," said Mai Trinh.
"We've worked hard to improve our food and the taste," said Thao Trinh. "Our wish is that the community and customers continue to come and support us like they did before to help make our business successful again."
Cô Tu' will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Full Interview with Cô Tu' owners
Pauleen Le: These past couple of months, how have you felt?
Cuong Au: Yes sad, we've been very sad. It was like any other day but suddenly it was interrupted tragically and it changed everything.
Thao Trinh: More happy.
Pauleen Le: So, we're still a little sad but a little happier?
Thao Trinh: Yes, it's very sad and it happened but we have to do our best to heal, to let it go and move on.
Pauleen Le: Your son was working that day? He was hurt?
Thao Trinh: Yes that's right.
Pauleen Le: He was hurt. Is he doing better now?
Thao Trinh: He has worked hard to recover from the incident to give himself peace of mind, but he's still a little bit terrified to think about coming back to the restaurant. But we, as his mom and dad, try to comfort him to not be afraid to come back, and remember the joy of serving our customers and to do his best to heal, to let it go and move on.
Pauleen Le: Two months earlier when you closed, why didn't you close permanently, sell the restaurant or open a new one somewhere else? Why stay here?
Mai Trinh: In the beginning it just happened, so we didn't know what we were going to do. So we thought if we closed we'd struggle with the finances. But after the first week, the first few days, we realized there were a lot of things we had to handle before we could reopen.
Cuong Au: When we open a new place we have to start from the beginning and find the customers, and they have to come and enjoy the food. But we've been in business here for five years now, and we already have loyal customers who come back all the time and they know and love our food. That incident, it just happened inside our restaurant, nobody thought that it could ever happen, and nobody wanted it to happen. It was a personal vendetta. Unfortunately he came to our restaurant. After all that happened, we will work hard to get our business back to like it was before and that's why we've decided to keep this place.
Mai Trinh: This is a great location. It's close to the airport and it's close to the Mall of America. When they get off the plane, there's travelers from Europe who know about Pho and they're looking for Pho -- people from all over, not just Vietnam.
Pauleen Le: The restaurant's name is Co Tu, your mother is Co Tu. Did she say anything about closing the restaurant or reopening it?
Mai Trinh: First of all my mom, after it all happened, then my mother said we have to close our business and pray for the victim for 49 days as part of the Buddhist ritual. After 49 days, we could open our doors, so we did what my mother said.
Pauleen Le: The man who died, he came here often?
Cuong Au: Yes, the victim was a regular customer. We got to know each other well, but everyone is different with their own thoughts and social life and the incident happened to him unexpectedly and cost his life.
Pauleen Le: Tuesday when you reopen, he won't be here -- that's very sad to think about?
Cuong Au: Yes, because he lost his life and we will miss him. Life is unpredictable -- one day you're here and one day you're not.
Pauleen Le: But you'll remember him, you'll always remember him?
Cuong Au: Yes, we will remember him because he was very nice.
Pauleen Le: In these past two months, what things have you changed in the restaurant?
Cuong Au: We changed seating booths. The chairs before were old, so we made them new. We painted and added new TVs to better serve our loyal customers.
Pauleen Le: For customers who are coming on Tuesday, what would you like them to know? It's almost like you're opening a new restaurant, right?
Cuong Au: We have redone everything, everything is new. We've repainted and fixed everything and we look forward to serving our loyal customers again and giving them a more pleasant experience.
Pauleen Le: Here there's just this one Vietnamese restaurant?
Mai Trinh: There's just two Vietnamese restaurants here. Ca Dao is closed this month for the lunar new year, so this whole community of Richfield and Bloomington is waiting for us to open our doors again.
Pauleen Le: So Tuesday is just going to be like normal?
Mai Trinh: Yes, going forward this is a new beginning. We're going to do our best to not think about the past and move forward.
Thao Trinh: We've worked hard to improve our food and the taste. Our wish is that the community and customers continue to come and support us like they did before to help make our business successful again.