A classic 1968 Austin Healey vehicle and shelves filled with antiques might not be common decorations you’d expect from an eatery hidden in a corner of Richmond.
The Story Café, a music and movie-themed restaurant, on the corner of Sexsmith and Beckwith roads, makes it its job to connect community members through food, music and a personal collection of antiques courtesy of owner Kingsley Ho.
Ho said the eatery, like its name suggests, is a hub he hopes community members will visit to share and learn stories with people they meet.
“I want customers to be able to listen and learn a bit more about music from local artists or even start a conversation with someone in the café about an antique on the shelf,” said Ho, adding that “every person has a different story.”
“I want customers who walk in to get a sense of nostalgia about something that could be sitting on our shelves like a record or an old typewriter that their grandparents or parents may have had in the past and talk about it.”
Ho told the Richmond News the space was originally meant for his IT business, which he was relocating from Vancouver to Richmond.
However, after noticing the “nice corner space and open view,” Ho thought the place would be better suited as a restaurant.
“I’ve been in the IT business for 19 years and I thought it would be nice to have a separate space to share good food, music and my collection of antiques.”
The planning and renovations, he said, took two years to finish. What wasn’t expected was a pandemic to happen when the eatery was just about to open in mid-March.
Like many restaurants in Richmond, The Story Café, was shut down in mid-March after opening for a week and was forced to rely on take-out and delivery.
Ho believed that many people like hotel chefs and cooks, who lost their jobs, and struggling singers and artists who needed help the most.
He hired chefs from various well-known hotels, like Fairmont and Four Seasons to join his team, and when the eatery re-opened its doors Ho organized live-music nights during the week.
“Musicians lose the chance to get gigs during COVID and I thought it would be a good idea to have musicians performs while receiving some form of income through tips,” said Ho, adding that customers would be able to enjoy the music at the same time.
“I’m lucky to have these chefs and musicians join me and definitely luckier than other restaurants during this difficult time to have such amazing employees working alongside me like a family.”
