After 40 years serving Sacramento, The Mandarin Restaurant is closing its doors
SACRAMENTO — It's the end of an era as a popular Sacramento establishment is shutting down for good.
Forty years after it first opened, The Mandarin restaurant is officially closing its doors.
The owner, Michael Helmrich, made that tough decision after a heavy loss.
"I made it out of COVID, but it's the aftermath that hit me real hard," he explained.
Helmrich's parents, Steve and Kay Lee Helmrich, first opened the family business on January 21, 1984. His mother's Mandarin dishes from recipes passed down from generations drew in loyal crowds.
Like many small businesses following the pandemic, Helmrich struggled financially.
"I usually have 21 to 22 employees. I've been stuck at 6 and 7 employees. Nobody wants a job," he said.
Then, this past December came the heaviest blow. On Christmas Day, his mother died from COVID-19.
"It's hard," he said. "It's difficult because you want to do things that mom kept doing, but it gets tough, you know?"
The news of the family matriarch passing away is still fresh in the minds of some customers.
"We were coming in several times a week. It's just very sad," one woman said
"It's very sad that it's going away," another woman said. "Neighborhood institution. I'm going to miss it."
Helmrich said he's not sure what's next, but he's hopeful for the future.
The Mandarin restaurant will officially close its doors Tuesday night.