After more than 35 years, this Wilmington restaurateur is (mostly) retired
After spending the past three decades or so in Wilmington’s hospitality scene, Joseph Hou has a lot of stories to tell. Some are from the peak of the area’s film scene when his restaurant, Szechuan 132, was one of the few Asian eateries in town. Others that have happened since the pandemic changed so many things in the industry.
Now that he’s retired, Hou's been more willing to tell those stories.
“You know I love my industry so much. It’s hard to walk away,” he said. “But I also want to spend time with my grandchildren.”
Hou’s smile and affable nature – and willingness to help others —have made him and the restaurant an important part of the Wilmington community. While businesses like these change hands every day, it makes sense Hou wouldn’t just hand the keys to someone new.
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Instead, he talked with family members to find the right potential owners. And, when he thought he found them, he spent months training them. Kevin and Pearl Chu officially took over Szechuan 132 in December.
“It’s been really good,” Kevin Chu said. “Joe built up a lot of good will in the community. We want to keep that going.”
While there may be some small changes here and there, Chu said he wants to keep those aspects of the restaurant that has helped it stand the test of time in an ever-changing business landscape.
"It's hard to say what that is," Hou said. "I think it's consistency. And I've always put everything, my heart, my soul and my body into what I do."
Because of that level of commitment, Hou still often pops in the restaurant a couple of times a month, he said. He comes by to talk with his brother-in-law (who is still the kitchen manager) and chat with regular customers.
Like Hou, the Chus are also from India. Hou is from a Chinese family and was a leather tanner by trade. In the United States, he went another direction and then opened Szechuan 132 at 419 S. College Road when he and his wife, Sally, moved to Wilmington. Together, they raised their three children who are now adults and live in different cities. The Hous now spend about half their time in Chapel Hill, where their three grandchildren live.
“It was sometime hard with my kids,” Hou said. “But I don’t want any regrets with my grandchildren."
Hou added that he's happy that he knows exactly how his grandson likes his eggs cooked for breakfast, with the yolks a bit runny. And he loves picking up another from school when he's there.
Over the past three decades, Hou has helped organizations like the American Heart Association, the Good Shepherd Center, and the Sister Cities Association of Wilmington. Hou also remembers how Szechuan 132 offered film professionals from Hollywood and elsewhere a taste of authentic Chinese fare over the years. His stories recount tales of serving large groups on a moment’s notice or finding duck on the fly for a special meal. Actors like Alan Alda, Kiefer Sutherland, Tom Beringer, Vince Vaughn, and Orlando Jones were among his customers.
So while he's retired, Hou said he isn't just walking away.
“I have to come in and say hello to some of my friends,” he said. "I've been in the industry for 35 years. That's a long time."
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Szechuan 132 restaurant founder retires after decades in Wilmington, NC
