RESTAURANT STORIES - CHAPTER 2: Mrs. Win
[ Fall of 2024. Pictured above camera shy Mrs. Win giving wisdom to Mrs. Win ]
A Mother’s Journey: From War-Torn Vietnam to Building a Dream in Evergreen
Every restaurant has a story. At Sushi Win Jr., ours is not just about sushi—it’s about resilience, sacrifice, and the quiet strength of a woman whose journey shaped everything we are today.
This story belongs to my mom.
She was born in 1970 in southern Vietnam, a child of war and uncertainty. Even as the conflict wound down, the scars remained—civil unrest, fear, and the heavy silence of a country trying to heal. For her family, staying meant living with fear. Leaving meant risking everything.
With little more than a bag of belongings, they made the courageous choice to escape to America. It was a leap into the unknown—new land, new language, no guarantees. But for them, survival wasn’t about what was easy—it was about what was possible.
Life in the States was anything but simple. Mom and her siblings worked low-paying jobs, each dollar stretched thin but stretched with purpose. Every contribution, no matter how small, went toward building something better.
Eventually, Mom found steady work at a facility manufacturing medical equipment—tools like IV bags that sustain lives quietly, without recognition. She worked there nearly 20 years, showing up day after day with determination. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was dependable. And in those long years of hard work, she met someone who would change everything: my dad.
Two immigrants. Two dreamers. Two people who carried the weight of their families’ sacrifices and still found space to love. One conversation led to another, one shared laugh to a shared life, and before long, their story became ours—when I, Win Jr., was born.
If my dad was the dreamer—the one unafraid to leap into the unknown—my mom was the anchor. She steadied him, believed in him, and when the time came to take a leap together, she didn’t hesitate. She gave up stability and routine for the chance at a future they could build with their own hands.
That leap is the reason Sushi Win Jr. exists today.
When guests walk through our doors, they see rolls carefully crafted, fresh fish prepared with precision, and a team that serves with pride. What they don’t always see is the history behind it—the young Vietnamese girl stepping off a plane with nothing but a bag, the decades of factory shifts, the faith it took to stand beside her husband in pursuit of an uncertain dream.
But I see it. Every single day.
This restaurant isn’t just a family business—it’s a living testament to her resilience. It’s proof that peace can rise from war, that sacrifice can blossom into opportunity, and that a mother’s strength can build the foundation for an entire family’s future.
So when you dine with us, I hope you taste more than just fresh fish and rice. I hope you taste a story—a story of courage, of sacrifice, and of a woman who gave everything so her family could dream without limits.
Sushi Win Jr. exists because of her.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
Your friendly neighborhood Sushi Cowboy,
Ryan @ Sushi Win Jr. 🍣🔥❤️