Hibiscus in Parktowne Village shopping center has closed its doors. The restaurant served classic Thai noodle dishes, but the heart of the restaurant was in the selection of Laotian dishes, with street fare options such as chicken wings and Lao sausage.

Roger Kongkham, one of Hibiscus’s owners, says the closure was not due to the pandemic. The restaurant’s lease was ending, and Kongkham says the time felt right to walk away.

“The past five years have been wonderful, but it’s time for us to part ways for now,” the restaurant shared with customers in a Facebook post. “We’ve learned so much from each other, and we will continue to cherish this experience for the rest of our lives. Although the past year has been rough for so many of us in the service industry, we, as a business, have been so fortunate to receive so much support from our patrons. We hope that you all can continue to support local businesses as much as possible in the future.”

Hibiscus served its last diners in May.

Kongkham, one of the most talented and under-the-radar mixologists in Charlotte, will be temporarily working behind the bar at Supperland. Fans of Hibiscus may not be out of luck forever, however.

“Hopefully I’ll find another space to open up a similar concept by second quarter of next year or at least be under contract with by the end of the year,” Kongkham says.