His restaurant Moon Rabbit abruptly closed in 2023 when its landlord decided not to unionize, something the hospitality staff was pushing for. Tien opened Moon Rabbit again in the Penn Quarter neighborhood a year later — this time, as the chef/owner of the restaurant. Advertisement"We used our savings and everything we had to open Moon Rabbit. Look for community resourcesTien contacted his friends in the tight-knit Washington, DC, restaurant industry to learn best practices in opening Moon Rabbit. For AAPI entrepreneurs looking to lay their financial groundwork for starting a business, Tien suggests leaning into your local community.

---

Persons: —, Kevin Tien, Tien, that's, Judy Beltrano, Susan Bae, Alan Vo, Lean Organizations: Service, Business, we're, Insurance, Washington, Mayor's, Asian Affairs, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington Locations: Washington, DC, Louisiana, Southern, Penn