There’s another closure in Richmond, but this one isn’t exactly the same as the other ones.
Little Karp Seafood and Bar on Alexandra Road in Richmond closed its doors on Tuesday, March 4 after 3 years.
But until now, no one really knew exactly why.
In a two-part farewell post on Red Note, owner Fanfan explained that the decision came down to one thing: her daughter.
In her post, she asked why she would close when business was good. The answer was simple.
Besides being the owner of Little Karp, she is also a mother.
Fanfan moved to Vancouver in 2016 with her six-month-old daughter, following her husband to his hometown.
She had always dreamed of running a restaurant, and after years of working and studying in the hotel industry, she went all in.
She chose a bare-bones building, set strict kitchen standards, and kept prices low to build a following.
It worked, even though many people doubted a classier spot would work in Richmond.
But while she was building the restaurant, her daughter was commuting more than two hours a day between her school in West Vancouver and the restaurant in Richmond.
Fanfan herself was doing about five hours a day on the road.
That went on for years.
She reflected that perhaps the only thing she did not prioritize over the past few years was her child.
In the last six months, things started to shift.
She realized she needed to slow down, move closer to her daughter’s school, and be present before her kid heads off to university.
She went from looking for a business partner to share the workload to deciding to sell the restaurant entirely.
She wrote that she does not yet feel she can balance being a mother and being a restaurant owner.
She hopes to take a break, adjust everything, and eventually start again.
She was clear that this wasn’t a failure.
Business was strong. She hadn’t lost confidence.
There was no single event that forced her hand.
She described it as simply going with the flow of what life needed from her.
Fanfan is now working as a restaurant consultant and helping her family’s seafood supply business.
She plans to move closer to her daughter’s school.
Little Karp opened on Alexandra Road in Richmond and became known for its West Coast fine dining with Asian influences.
The seafood was sourced from Steveston Wharf, and fan favourites included the butter poached lobster, lobster bisque, and signature lobster risotto.
The restaurant’s final day of service was Tuesday, March 4.
The name Little Karp comes from the Chinese legend of a carp that swims hard enough to jump over the dragon gate and become a dragon.
Based on Fanfan’s post, this doesn’t feel like the end of that story.
Little Karp joins other recently closed food spots in Richmond like MACU Tea, Garaku, and Seto Sushi.
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Address: 8631 Alexandra Rd #110, Richmond, BC