Longtime Lake Highlands establishment Bo Bo China Restaurant has closed for the time being, according to a flier posted on the door.
Reading “Bo Bo China is closed until further notice” due to “nonpayment of rent by the tenant,” the flier states that updates will follow soon on “official channels.”
Judy Gee, whose number is listed on the flier, said that Bo Bo’s owner is elderly, the building is badly in need of renovation and the owner’s family is weighing options for the future. It is worth noting that no final decision has been made by the family, and that a reopening has not been ruled out yet.
Photo by Lauren Martyn.
The casual, cozy and affordable neighborhood staple opened in 1977 after owner Ben Phoo Lee bought a former burger joint on Church Road. Lee’s daughters went on to attend Lake Highlands High School, and Bo Bo China became a synonym for dependable Chinese food in Lake Highlands.
“We’ve had people coming in saying they grew up eating here,” manager Bruce Lee told the Advocate in 2020. “We had a couple come in and say they had their first date here. Now they’re grandparents.”
