SEATTLE — The owner of Rainier Teriyaki was murdered more than three months ago. Police are still searching for the people responsible.
What happened struck a chord with the community, and people have sent flowers and condolence cards. This week is National Small Business Week and there is an effort underway to bring some extra help to the family business.
On Wednesday, people crowded in for the lunch at Rainier Teriyaki. The long lines are the rebound the restaurant has been hoping for because they started the year with a tragedy.
"I can't put into words how devastated we were,” said Juyoung Kim. "My mom and my sister were bed-ridden for days. They didn't eat. They didn't sleep. They just continuously cried."
Kim said that's how his family reacted to the loss of his father, Hansoo Kim, who was shot and killed during an armed robbery at the restaurant. It happened after on January 14, according to investigators. Seattle police data shows in the first three months of this year, the city saw more than 300 robberies and 11 homicides. Behind the numbers are the people impacted like the Kim family.
"I was completely shocked, like, it was unbelievable. My dad was such a hard-working man. I thought he could overcome anything in life,” said Kim.
Grappling with grief, they closed the doors for more than two months.
"We decided to open on April 3,” said Kim, who has been working with his family to keep the business going.
"The first two days it was really, really slow,” he said.
But in the weeks that followed, customers started to come back. And the business saw a big boost on Wednesday.
"The story of this business reopening is one that has really resonated and touched the community,” said Laura Clise, the CEO of Intentionalist.
Clise worked with Seattle Sounders and former team Captain Brad Evans to amplify the business. The Sounders opened up two, $500 tabs on Wednesday. People went to the Intentionalist website to redeem a free meal. The first tab was wiped out in a day.
The extra support means a lot to the family business.
"It is so heartwarming,” said Kim.
Anyone with information about the robbery and fatal shooting on January 14 is asked to call Seattle police department’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.