In early December, Diva Cat Thy's mixed rice paper shop suddenly became "hot" again on social media after nearly 2 years of absence because the owner decided to reopen for the third time. Before that, the shop had closed twice due to business difficulties.
Owner Diva Cat Thy decided to "start a business" for the third time with a mixed rice paper shop.
Golden Age
Every afternoon, in alley 88/2 Nguyen Khoi street (District 4, Ho Chi Minh City), Ms. Cat Thy sits in front of her small mixed rice paper cart, enthusiastically making meals for customers. Customers regularly come to eat in as well as buy take-out, the driver continuously comes to pick up orders.
Seeing the reporter, the owner warmly welcomed her. Recalling the "golden days" of years ago when business was "on the rise" and customers flocked to her in droves, lining up in long lines, Ms. Cat Thy said that at that time it was difficult to sit and talk to us like now. But those days are gone now.
It was 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit Ho Chi Minh City. Originally a bingo singer, social distancing prevented her from working, so she decided to open a small mixed rice paper shop in District 7 to sell, to earn some money and not feel too bored.
Thanks to her gift of gab and "lucky timing", as the owner puts it, the mixed rice paper shop suddenly became a hit on social media and became a phenomenon at that time, with customers flocking to eat. From here, the LGBT owner's business became favorable, prosperous, and profitable.
Although it cannot compare to the "golden" days of previous years, customers still regularly visit the restaurant to support it.
[CLIP]: The famous mixed rice paper shop in Ho Chi Minh City owned by an LGBT woman reopens for sale... for the third time
After more than a year of business, the restaurant gradually "cooled down". She decided to close and temporarily stop selling to continue her passion for singing loto. Then, in early 2022, she decided to reopen with a larger, more "magnificent" location in District 6. Appearing frequently on websites, YouTube, TikTok... the restaurant regained its form and maintained its popularity.
"After selling for more than a year, I closed the shop again, partly because I missed my singing career, partly because business started to not be good anymore, the rent was high but the revenue could not meet, selling was not profitable," she said about the time of closing in mid-2023. However, these two "startups" with mixed rice paper helped Diva Cat Thy have a stable life , without having to worry too much about the economy.
Netizens complain about the high price, what does the owner say?
After nearly 2 years of leaving her job selling mixed rice paper, Diva Cat Thy said that many regular customers texted her, saying they missed her rice paper. "Missing the job", the owner decided to reopen the shop for the third time.
"This time, I also decided not to open a big restaurant like last time, but just a small space, selling from day to day. Of course, it can't be compared to the past, but regular customers still come to support me as well as have new customers, there are people who have been eating from me since I first opened, so I feel happy and joyful. That is also the motivation for me to maintain," she expressed.
Each rice paper here has 15 different ingredients.
Every day, the shop opens from 2pm to 10pm. Here, each portion of rice paper is sold at 30,000 VND, 40,000 VND, 50,000 VND depending on the needs and choices of the customers, and this price has been maintained since the first years. However, the owner said that if customers buy a portion of 20,000 VND, 10,000 VND, she will still sell it.
"Many customers say that your selling price is high, almost the same as a bowl of pho. What do you think?", when asked by the reporter, the owner confided that her selling price is reasonable because at this time, input materials have increased, and the ratio of ingredients she puts into each portion of rice paper is suitable for the price.
"Many people may look at the screen and think that the portion is small and not worth it. But you can come and experience it in person. Each portion of rice paper I sell here has 15 different ingredients, all of which are quality ingredients. Like this 50,000 VND portion, 2 people cannot finish it," she shared, looking at the 2 customers coming to the restaurant.
Mr. Thien Nguyen (26 years old, living in District 4) said that he has been a regular customer of Diva Cat Thy rice paper since the first days of sale, he really likes the owner's humorous and cheerful personality. That is the reason why when she reopened the shop, he placed an order.
The female boss belongs to the LGBT community and is getting a lot of attention on social networks.
"The ingredients of the rice paper here are quite good, my favorite is the lime juice. While in other shops, the lime is squeezed into the rice paper, here the sauce is mixed, giving it a unique taste. This price is not cheap, but for me it is reasonable to buy a portion of 40,000 VND," he commented.
Although customers are not like before, Diva Cat Thy said she is satisfied with her current business as customers still support her regularly. That is the motivation for her to maintain this business besides singing bingo, she will try to satisfy customers from near and far who come to support her.
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