For the bulk of his early life, Sanh Tran had to overcome an array of obstacles before he could find comfort in life. Today, he’s become an icon in the Region.
Tran was born in Vietnam. His father, originally from China, escaped to Vietnam in 1945 for a better life.
“At the time, people were starving in China,” Tran said. “A lot of people moved to Thailand or Malaysia, but my father ended up in Vietnam. I was raised in Chinese and Vietnamese culture growing up.”
In 1975, the Communist Party started to take over Vietnam. Over the next three years, things continued to worsen. As a result, Tran’s father sent him and his brother away from Vietnam.
“I was 17 years old when we escaped,” Tran said. “After about seven days on the boat, we finally landed in Malaysia. They had a special program for underaged people without their parents.”
Tran spent more than six months at a refugee camp in Malaysia before he ultimately made his way to the United States. He went to Orlando where he started to learn how to speak English. He went to school every morning before working in the afternoon. Eventually, he started working for a nationwide fast-food company and traveled frequently.
After 10 years, Tran was given an opportunity to come work in the Region at the Southlake Mall.
“When they asked me about the position, there was a brand new food court,” Tran said. “We started leasing a space. I’ve spent most of my time here since I started working here.”
For 23 years, Tran has been the owner of Maki of Japan. Visitors of the Southlake Mall can often find him handing out bourbon chicken samples to people in the food court. His wife assists him at the restaurant when she has the time. However, Tran is retiring on December 31. He plans to spend more time traveling and sharing quality time with his family.
Recently, he received a certificate of appreciation from Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor to honor his work in serving the community. It is clear that Tran takes pride in leaving a positive impact on his customers.
“I always tell people who come to my restaurant to save money and work hard,” Tran said. “When you work, you have money. When you have money, you can solve a lot of problems. A lot of kids want to spend on unnecessary things. I tell the teenagers that come into my store to make sure they have a good education.”
Following his retirement, Tran plans to slow himself down a bit. Staying healthy is the biggest thing for him moving forward.
“I take my health very seriously,” Tran said. “It’s important for me to stay in shape so I can live longer with my wife and kids. Being kind to others, working out, and laughing more is what I want to continue doing. It’s all about having fun.”