The tofu at Chu Minh Tofu in Little Sài Gòn is made with a lot of love and a lot of labor. Soybeans are first ground by hand before a small machine finishes the process, resulting in the perfect tofu. That process will soon be much easier, thanks to a new machine owner Tanya Nguyễn purchased through our Tenant Improvement Program.
“This will help us do everything with one machine. We’ll save on labor, make more tofu, and the quality will be more consistent,” said Nguyễn.
Our TI Program is part of the work our office does to lead projects and make investments to open access to economic opportunities. The program offers forgivable loans to small business owners, reducing the cost of purchasing essential equipment or new signage, helping them stabilize and grow.
“It feels wonderful because it’s very hard for us to buy a big machine with lots of money. We can’t afford it,” said Nguyễn. “With the support of the TI Program, it makes it feel easier and not like we’re alone.”
Making tofu is more than a job for Nguyễn – it’s a family legacy. She grew up in Vietnam making tofu “the whole time” for family and neighbors. Nguyễn sees her business as a continuation of her parents’ business, which started in Vietnam in 1968. When the family moved to Seattle in 1994, she says they started making tofu and selling it out of their kitchen. That eventually led to Nguyễn opening Chu Minh Tofu in 2010.
“When my parents make tofu, we delivered it. So, when we saw this spot was available, we thought we can open here and sell tofu and vegetarian food,” she said.
Chu Minh Tofu now has two locations in Little Sài Gòn and Othello and boasts a plant-based menu that honors traditional Vietnamese recipes “reimagined with kindness.” Nguyễn reflects that kindness through her actions. She talks about her restaurant like it’s a community, not a business.
“I think the part I like the most is connecting with people. Talking with people, sharing the culture, sharing love. It makes me feel like it’s a party every day,” she said.
That sense of kindness and community extends into her volunteer program, the Eggrolls. The group welcomes those in need every Sunday morning, offering a free meal and supplies. The program started based on a need in the community.
“People would come in and ask for food. If we were slow, we gave it to them,” she said. “But sometimes, we were busy. Seeing them walk away, it made me feel sad, wishing there was something I could do.”
In 2018, Nguyễn decided to dedicate some time to cook for those in need. An employee and some friends brought food and handed it out to anyone who needed it and the Sunday Meal Program was born.
When it started, Nguyễn says she handed out about 40 meals. Now, thanks to the help of the Eggrolls, she hands out an average of 250 meals every Sunday from 10 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Nguyễn notes they’ll serve closer to 500 people on the holidays. The program evolved to providing more than a meal, volunteers collect supplies like blankets, warm clothing, and first aid supplies to hand out to those in need as well.
“It’s more help and more love,” she said.
Nguyễn says she’s excited for the new tofu machine she purchased through our TI Program because the forgivable loan. This will allow her to reinvest the money into growing her business, allowing her continue to share food and love with the community.
“When you share, it’s like double happiness,” she said. “Everything we create is like growing a tree. You put in the seed and now it’s blooming and blooming.”
Applications for our Tenant Improvement Program are open through Monday, April 13 at 5 p.m. This program offers financial support to small businesses to upgrade their spaces. We have two packages available in 2026: the sign package award of up to $15,000 and the equipment package award of up to $50,000. To date, we awarded 120 businesses with forgivable loans through the TI Program.
Read about the TI Program’s application requirements on our website and apply today.