On 2011-05-23 13:38, pappythesailor wrote:






MILFORD —

After 39 years of Chinese food, specialty cocktails and loyal patronage, a Milford landmark will close its doors this weekend.

Pago Pago, the town's oldest restaurant, will serve its last customers on Saturday.

Owner Paul Soo Hoo said it's time to say goodbye.

"I'm crying on the outside but I'm smiling on the inside," said Soo Hoo, 68. "I've enjoyed being here the last 40 years - I've met a lot of nice people and I'm going to miss them all, but it's time."

Alongside brother Chester and businesses partner Florence Lee, Soo Hoo opened the eatery at 396 East Main St. on Oct. 10, 1972.

He said Pago Pago was the only establishment on the block. The building was there when he bought the property, and he added onto it. He named the restaurant after Pago Pago, an island in the South Pacific.

"When we first came here, it was a barren area. It's unbelievable. If I had known, I would've bought everything," he said with a laugh.

Since then he's hired hundreds of people, many of whom worked there over 20 years, and he has hosted customers from all over.

But when Lee died a couple of years ago and his brother retired shortly after that, Soo Hoo started thinking about selling.

"The building's old. It needs serious renovations, and I'm too old," he said yesterday. "... I've been dwelling on it the last two years, and the economy helped."

Soo Hoo made the business announcement last weekend - news which is still hard to swallow for some long-time patrons.

"I can't believe it, we used to come here in high school," said Carl Stewart of Marlborough, who was picking up takeout yesterday afternoon. "I've been coming down here since 1979, and I drive down from Marlborough to eat here. It's worth the half-hour drive."

Lloyd Lapan of Milford, who has frequented the establishment for more than 20 years, said Pago Pago has always treated its customers with respect.

"The patrons will miss the quality of food Pago brought into the town of Milford," he said. "It's sad, but it's just another change in the times."

In the lounge, Soo Hoo handed Milford's Billy Wolley a menu for his daughter.

Wolley said his daughter, who lives in Chicago, often asks him to send her her favorite dishes.

"She always asks me to send her packages of Pago food," he said. "There are people all over the country who are gonna miss the Pago."

Soo Hoo's sister, May Ling Tong, has worked with her brother for about two years and said patrons are going to miss the food.

"Everybody says they're going to miss it. It's known as traditional Chinese-American food, and a lot of places don't make it like that anymore," she said.

Tong said the economy has hurt businesses, and it's time for her brother to take a breather.

Soo Hoo, who lives in Brighton and intends to spend his retirement playing golf, said a local business is interested in the property. He wasn't sure which business will take it over.

And while loyal customers aren't sure where they'll go next, they're certain of one thing: They'll miss everything about Pago Pago.

"I'm definitely going to miss this place," said Jean Digirolamo of Milford. "It's home away from home."