Roy Choi Pushes Back on Twitter Regarding Locol’s Changes

Roy Choi took to Twitter yesterday to offer some personal perspective on the changes happening at Locol, saying (among other things) that the public-facing restaurant side of the business closed because the funding was simply no longer there.

“The truth is we ran out of money after a strong three year run,” said Choi in a tweet, adding that they are “figuring out next steps” and “are still not out for the count.”

Last night was the final evening of traditional restaurant service at the flagship Locol in Watts, as well as the takeaway window in San Jose. The West Oakland location closed back in June, which now leaves only Locol’s catering arm intact. Choi is quick to point out that the company is not formally closing, just changing business model. “Sometimes success is not immediate,” Choi says optimistically, adding: “The birth of Locol could play a role centuries from now.”

Meanwhile, Choi is also still hard at work on his first Las Vegas project, a Korean restaurant set to open on the Strip in November, and is still running the Kogi empire, Chego, and other restaurants around Los Angeles. Locol partner Daniel Patterson is also on the move, hiring up now for his West Adams Alta projects, which should arrive in a matter of weeks. As for Locol directly, catering is still available.

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