SAUGUS, MASS. (WHDH) - The Town of Saugus approved a new design plan that will include apartment buildings, and a downsized Kowloon restaurant with several drive-thru lanes.
The new building will feature more than 200 apartment units, with a new Kowloon located on the first floor. The beloved family restaurant that serves a variety of Asian cuisine has been in business for 75 years, and its owner says the new restaurant space will include pick-up only drive-thru lanes for customers who order ahead. He said the idea for the express lanes came in an effort to avoid backing up traffic on busy Route 1.
“When we were thinking about, you know, selling or not selling. We decided why don’t we just – with the legacy for our grandkids – to have a couple of apartment buildings and then keep the Kowloon restaurant here, because people want it to be here,” said Bob Wong, the Owner of Kowloon. “One thing we want to do when we renovate and knock this building down, we want to build a couple of drive-thrus as well.”
Kowloon regulars say they are excited for the change, but will also miss the memories inside the original 1,200-seat restaurant.
“I’m going to miss the building aboslutely, I mean there’s been a lot of memories in this building for sure, but I think for the family its time,” said one customer.
Even though the restaurant is downsizing, Wong says the iconic environment will stay the same.
“People come here not just because it’s a restaurant, but because its a whole environment,” he said. “The kids are thrilled, the adults are thrilled, it becomes a place that people want to go to, and that’s what we want to do at the next location.”
No date has yet been set for the opening of the new development.
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