Rangoon, Philadelphia’s Burmese restaurant, has set a closing date, and it’s selling the artwork off the walls

Rangoon, which introduced many Philadelphians to the thousand-layer bread and spring ginger salads of Myanmar (or Burma, as it’s alternatively known), will close Dec. 29 after a 28-year run in Chinatown.

Its closing was announced in October, but owners Christine Gyaw, Jenny Louie, and Chiu Sin Mee held out hope that a new owner would take over and maintain the business.

Several restaurateurs expressed interest, including one who wanted to take over in mid-2022, but the partners cannot wait that long, Gyaw said.

Other potential buyers have expressed interest in the building at 112 N. Ninth St., which Louie owns. The restaurant opened in 1993 at 145 N. Ninth St. and in 1996 moved down the block to the larger storefront.

The owners are selling objets d’art, including framed tapestry, paintings, and carvings, in advance by appointment. The dining room has been closed during the pandemic as the partners are selling food for takeout and delivery from 3 to 9 p.m. daily.

Gyaw, 64, who fled Myanmar in 1990 with her daughter, Mya, said the rigors of the business have caught up with her and her partners. “We don’t have the energy,” said Gyaw, who, like her partners, is in her 60s. The chef is 77.

“As the owners of Rangoon Restaurant, please know that we truly did all we could to continue the operations of our restaurant, and to keep providing services to the public and especially to our most faithful and loyal customers,” the partners posted on Facebook.