After more than 40 years in the heart of downtown Houston and 32 years at its current Jefferson Street location, Kim Son, the flagship restaurant of the city’s iconic Vietnamese chain, is preparing to shut its doors due to the Interstate 45 expansion project.
Founded in the 1980s by the La family, who immigrated to Houston after fleeing Vietnam’s communist regime, Kim Son has become a local institution. According to the restaurant’s website, Kim Su Tran La, affectionately known as “Mama La,” memorized over 250 recipes before leaving Vietnam. Over the decades, the restaurant cultivated a loyal following and at its peak, operated multiple locations across Houston.
The impending closure of the Jefferson location comes after the franchise’s Stafford site shut down in 2023, leaving Kim Son with only one remaining location in Houston’s Chinatown area.
Toa La, the restaurant’s chief operating officer, said the family has been aware of the expansion plans for some time but is still negotiating with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
“The rumor started about three years ago,” La told Houston Public Media. “Negotiations are still ongoing, but [TxDOT] has already acquired properties along the street. We’re just asking for some kind of timeline so we can prepare and let our customers know.”
In May 2023, TxDOT announced its $9.7 billion project to reconstruct and reroute I-45. The project, expected to begin this year and last until 2042, will realign the highway with Interstates 10 and 69 while widening the freeway. This has forced many local businesses, including Kim Son, to close or relocate.
La said it remains unclear what compensation, if any, the family will receive for the property, as he is not directly involved in negotiations. “Right now, we don’t have a concrete plan,” he said. “We know we want to maintain a presence in the area because we’ve been here for over 40 years. We’re exploring other options to ensure the next 40 years, but, to be honest, I’m getting old.”
The Jefferson Street location, a two-story space that has been a fixture since 1992, is deeply tied to the family’s history. La acknowledged the closure will significantly impact their business.
“The revenue is going to take a hit, but there’s no way to fight it,” he said. “We just have to move forward and start the next chapter.”
La anticipates the restaurant will likely close by mid-2026, though customers have already begun reaching out about the news.
“A lot of them have been with us for decades,” La said. “We’re asking the community to support us at our remaining location in the Chinatown area. It’s going to be a sad day when we close Jefferson because that place holds so many memories—so many memories.”
