It is no small feat to launch a new restaurant in the midst of a pandemic. But 28-year-old Rocky Jokbengboon has culinary talent and a vision, and he was ready to push forward in his home state of North Carolina, despite the challenges of the past year.
The chef and cookbook author (Living Laos in the South: Recipes from a Laos Chef Immersed in Southern Culture) is opening Sosu on the East Side of Charlotte this month. It is a modern take on a traditional ramen shop, with a theme inspired by Japanese anime, including images designed by Jokbengboon as part of the décor. The restaurant is expected to have an eight-person staff once fully up and running, and it will offer both quick-service and full-service dining.
Jokbengboon is not new to this work. He already owns a noodle shop in Orlando, Fla., called Naroodle. To fulfill his vision in Charlotte, he renovated a vacant commercial space in a part of the city that has long been home to a diversity of residents—part of what one city council member fondly referred to as a “salad bowl” of races, ethnicities and cultures.
In fact, the Eastway Crossing commercial strip that Sosu now calls home has fast become a haven for independent business owners priced out of many other Charlotte communities. In 2020, as Jokbengboon began to move forward with Sosu, others also put down roots here as well: Royal African Cuisine opened a few doors down. Bart’s Mart, a beer and bottle shop with a mission focused on farm animal rescue, opened too. So did Shrimp Shack, a Black-owned seafood chain. There is dance studio, a dog salon, a vegan café and a skate shop—even a new grocery store featuring a range of international food. And now Sosu as well.
LISC supported the new restaurant with a 7-year, low-interest loan, leveraging a Wells Fargo Open for Business grant that prioritizes support for entrepreneurs of color. The capital funded a range of renovation work, from HVAC to bathrooms to flooring and painting. While work was in process Jokbengboon hosted a pop up Sosu dining event in East Charlotte, providing a teaser of what was yet to come.
For LISC, the loan is important for a number of reasons. Not only does it support a minority-owned business and add jobs in the community, but it also helps contribute to economic vibrancy of what just a few years ago was a flagging commercial corridor.
It also reflects the deep engagement of our LISC Charlotte program, which has been partnering with city officials, foundations, corporations, community nonprofits and anchor institutions to fuel innovative affordable housing and business development efforts throughout the city—including a range of pandemic relief for small businesses and community-based nonprofits.
“Entrepreneurs like Rocky are part of the economic backbone of our communities,” said Rusty Mills, deputy director at LISC Charlotte who leads LISC’s local small business support. “He’s innovative, driven and experienced—and, despite all of that, his plan for Sosu would very likely not fit within the underwriting parameters of a lot of traditional lenders who often shy away from startups.
“But we see the value in this business and its great potential for success,” Mills continued. “Charlotte is a vibrant, diverse city filled with talent and opportunity. Businesses like Sosu and owners like Rocky live that story every day.”