The May Cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant in Albuquerque for over 30 years, will close temporarily around Christmas, its owner told the Albuquerque Business Journal.
The restaurant is famous among Route 66 enthusiasts for its Paul Bunyan fiberglass statue, known generically as Muffler Men. The statue was restored in 2019 after a windstorm tore off its arms.
The Paul Bunyan once stood at Shofner Lumber Co. The May Cafe kept the lumberjack when it was built in 1990.
May Cafe’s owner said he has no plans to move the statue.
Muffler Men are sculptures from 18 to 25 feet tall created by International Fiberglass of Venice, California, primarily during the 1960s. Dozens survive across the U.S.
May Cafe owner Liem Nguyen cited several reasons for the closure, including a lack of labor, more homeless people in the area, and his wish to retire.
“I’ve been operating at this location for 31 years, and there are many issues in Albuquerque, especially in the southeast area,” Nguyen said. “We are usually open until 9 p.m., but we decided to close earlier because after the pandemic there have been many homeless people in the area. We don’t have much business at night.”
He is unsure if and when the restaurant will reopen, but Nguyen wants a member of his family to take over the business.
“Hopefully one of my family members will continue later in the future,” Nguyen said. “But there is no guarantee because everybody has full-time jobs.”
The reasons for the closure are similar to recent closings this year along Route 66 in east Albuquerque, including Griff’s Hamburgers and one location of Mr. Powdrell’s Barbecue.
(Image of the Muffler Man lumberjack at the May Cafe in Albuquerque by the Route 66 Association of New Mexico via Facebook)