WILMINGTON — It’s been a month of changes for the Indochine Restaurant Group, with its founder passing away on Dec. 18. Less than a week after her memorial service, the group has announced the closure of one of its Indochine Express locations.
READ MORE: Indochine founder passes away, restaurants remain open
The Southport eatery at 1131 N. Atlantic Ave., which opened in 2022, closed on New Year’s Day, the restaurant management team announced on its socials on Thursday, Jan. 1. The decision was made due to “strategic reorganization” of the restaurant group, which also includes the flagship Indochine on Wayne Drive, Indochine Express locations in Monkey Junction, on Oleander Drive and in Leland, and Cafe Chinois at 17th Street Extension.
Since Indochine owner Solange “Niki” Thompson passed away, the restaurants have been left to her three children to carry forth operations.
“This decision reflects a natural step toward alignment and strengthening the group’s overall operations, always with a focus on delivering the best possible experience to our guests,” the restaurant group’s social media post indicated. “We are grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey and look forward to the next stages of this new chapter.”
Thompson opened the first Indochine on Wayne Drive in 2000 — well-known for its authentic Thai and Vietnamese and Asian-fusion flavors. In 2020, she began to expand with its Express locations and grew to have six restaurants including Cafe Chinois.
By fall 2024, the restaurant group entered a financial restructuring plan under the court’s eye, allowing for the business to reorganize and catch up on debt payments while maintaining normal operations.
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