Ruby Inn will be extremely busy for its last month

Ruby Inn, a beloved Chinese restaurant, is closing on June 28 because its lease is ending and the plaza will be demolished for redevelopment. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

Article content

Danny Chow says his parents work too hard. His mom agrees, but also says Chow works too hard.

Article content

He says his parents usually end up working at their family’s restaurant, Ruby Inn, for more than 12 hours a day, six days a week, with only their kids to help them.

Article content

Article content

That doesn’t make their decision to close this well-loved Chinese spot at the Walkley Centre any easier.

Article content

“Right now, I feel so sad; I have no choice but to close for now. The mall will be demolished within a few years,” says Minshan Lu, Chow’s mother.

Article content

Article content

Lu is referring to the City of Ottawa’s redevelopment plan from 2024 to replace Ruby Inn and its neighbours at the corner of Bank Street and Walkley Road with “four high-rise buildings, with heights ranging from 25 to 40 storeys.”

Article content

Article content

Though Lu says they weren’t given an exact demolition date, their lease was up, so they decided to close instead of remaining open indefinitely and then being forced to close suddenly.

Article content

“Even (if we stayed open), it’s not completely guaranteed. And, even if we were to sell it and move, who’s going to buy a lease for potentially a year,” Chow says, adding that it was a really hard decision for the family to make.

Article content

But on Sunday, May 24, they taped a piece of paper to their door, letting customers know that June 28 would be their final day in business.

Article content

The notice posted by Ruby Inn to inform its clientele of the restaurant’s impending closure. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

Article content

“All of a sudden, the next day, it’s all over Facebook and everyone’s posting about it,” Chow says, adding that it was at this point that he knew Ruby’s last month would be extremely busy.

Article content

And he was right. As Chow hands a bag of a dozen egg rolls to a grieving customer, the phone rings — and it doesn’t stop.

Article content

Though he’ll have to brace himself for a busy month, Chow says his favourite part of the job, that he’s been doing since he was 14, is the people.

Article content

Article content

“It’s more than a community. We’d have familiar faces coming in every day, and I didn’t even need to take their order at that point. I already knew their order and their names. It would be more of catching up,” Chow says, the phone ringing again behind him.

Article content

Article content

Ruby Inn, a takeout-only spot, has been around since 1971, Chow says. Its characteristic red and white flower-patterned wallpaper, very ’70s tile flooring and takeout chairs lining the windows have since become neighbourhood staples.

Article content

Ruby Inn, a takeout-only Chinese restaurant, has been in business since 1971, but will close on June 28, 2026. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

Article content

When its original owner retired in 2011, Chow says his dad — Shenglam Chow, Ruby’s chef — bought it with a group of friends.

Article content

His three kids have helped out since, but eventually, in 2016, when they became sole owners, he needed more hands.

Article content

Eventually, Lu says she quit her job as a hotel room attendant and stepped in. Now she’s the friendly face that Ruby is known for.

Article content

“They’re always so happy and pleasant here. I’ve introduced my children to it, who are adults now, so it’s been since my grandparents, right down to my kids who come here,” said Sara Hallmann, a customer waiting for her order and someone who grew up in the area.