Quynh’s Pharmacy is a fixture in Little Saigon. The owner, Mary Bui, is also a fixture within the pharmacy, having worked there for three decades. When vandals broke the glass entry door and both security gates, Bui faced a steep bill to repair the damages.
“They charged over $6,000,” she explained. “We had to do monthly payments, had to save money to pay for it. So when we heard about the Back to Business Program, we applied.”
Our Back to Business Program is designed to help business owners like Bui overcome the financial burden that comes from unexpected expenses to fix vandalism and property damage as well as the cost of securing their storefront. The Storefront Repair Fund reimburses owners with up to $3,000 to cover the cost of repairs and business owners can apply for up to three grants. Bui used the grants to help cover the repairs to Quynh’s Pharmacy.
“We are very small, our profit is not big. We appreciate the programs that help small businesses survive here. It’s very important that we have a Vietnamese pharmacy here,” said Bui.
Bui and her husband took over ownership of the pharmacy about four years ago, but their history goes back much further. They had already been working there for nearly 30 years after moving from the East Coast to Seattle. When the previous owner wanted to close shop, Bui and her husband knew the pharmacy was too important to the community to let it close.
“It’s a small community here, our customers are like our family. We know them by name. We have some customers we saw when they were little, now they’re 20- or 30- somethings,” she said. “So that’s why we decided to take over.”
It’s that personal connection that she says makes the pharmacy so important to the Little Saigon community.
“Our service is very personal. We have Vietnamese language on our prescription bottles so our customers can read it and we can counsel them in our own language. They understand, so they will take their medication regularly. That will help improve their life,” she said.
Little Saigon’s roots go back to the 1970s, when many Vietnamese immigrants and refugees came to Seattle. There are around 100 business in the district – the majority of which are Vietnamese-owned. These businesses and the neighborhood provide community for the nearly 40,000 Vietnamese-Americans and immigrants in the region.
“It’s important to help businesses like Quynh’s Pharmacy stay in the communities they serve,” said Shaun Baber, Back to Business program manager. “The cost of repairing damage can be a major obstacle. Our program removes that barrier so they can overcome those challenges and continue to thrive.”
Now that Bui has a new door and security gate, she says they’re staying focused on helping their customers.
“This is our career,” she said. “We love our job.”
The Back to Business Program builds on the success of the Storefront Repair Fund. We’re currently accepting applications for two grants. The Storefront Repair Fund reimburses business owners for the cost of fixing damage and vandalism. The Storefront Security Fund reimburses the cost of adding approved security measures to prevent future storefront damage. To date, the Back to Business Program distributed more than $588,000 in grants, helping 230 businesses, 38 through Storefront Security Fund grants and 192 through Storefront Repair Fund grants.
Learn more about the Back to Business Program and apply today.