Kongkiat (Ken) Putson, owner of Thai Orchid, a popular Thai restaurant in Citrus Heights has offered his business for sale. Photo by Thomas J. Sullivan

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - After 14 years of serving flavorful, traditional family recipes, Kongkiat (Ken) Putson, owner of Thai Orchid, a popular Thai restaurant in Citrus Heights has offered his business for sale, looking to move to the Dallas, Texas area where he can be closer to family.

The decision to sell his restaurant wasn’t an easy one for him to reach, recognizing the friendships he’s developed among regular customers who have come to enjoy their favorite Thai dishes which his mother passed on to him.

“I helped my mother to open a restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada, before opening here in Citrus Heights,” Putson said. “That restaurant was very successful and encouraged me to share her dishes when I opened here in Citrus Heights.”

Putson grew up in Bangkok, Thailand and currently lives with his family in Citrus Heights. He said he continues to enjoy introducing his first-time customers to Thai cuisine and welcoming back his regular customers who order their favorite noodle, rice and curry dishes or try new daily specials.

The long-established restaurant, located in the Copperwood Square shopping center on Sunrise Boulevard, occupies an approximately 2,000-square-foot space, according to a current listing on commercial real estate site BizBuySell.com for an asking price of $158,000. Photo by Thomas J. Sullivan 

Putson said he is actively looking to sell the restaurant to a potential new buyer who may want to continue the restaurant with its current Thai menu, or with another concept

“It’s time,” he said.

Putson has leased the restaurant through Dec. 4, 2027, which he believes will give him sufficient time to find the right buyer who shares the same passion for good food which he has.

The restaurant menu includes many popular Thai dishes, with an emphasis on soups, curries and classic stir-fry dishes. A gluten-free menu is also available upon request.

A large percentage of Thai Orchid’s overall business is takeout, Putson said, but many of his regular customers prefer to dine in, savoring the restaurant’s quiet atmosphere and gentle Thai instrumental music playing in the background.

Thai Orchid’s menu offers a variety of choices at reasonable prices. Chef specials also vary on a daily basis. Craftsmanship is clearly evident in each and every dish served at the restaurant.

Whether it be the delicate flowery cut of the sliced carrots or the colorful plated presentation of each dish, Putson takes pride in overseeing that every dish is made with care.

The long-established restaurant, located in the Copperwood Square shopping center on Sunrise Boulevard, occupies an approximately 2,000-square-foot space, according to a current listing on commercial real estate site BizBuySell.com for an asking price of $158,000.

A large percentage of Thai Orchid’s overall business is takeout, Putson said, but many of his regular customers prefer to dine in, savoring the restaurant’s quiet atmosphere and gentle Thai instrumental music playing in the background. Photo by Thomas J. Sullivan

The restaurant operates with three employees, including two full-time and one part-time staff member and is owner-operated, Putson said. Training for a new restaurant owner may be provided, he said.

Whether he will open another restaurant in Texas once settling there remains to be seen, Putson said. Time may tell.

“It’s been wonderful being a part of the Citrus Heights community through all these years, and I will miss my customers when the time comes,” Putson said. “This restaurant has brought me a lot of joy.”

The Thai Orchid restaurant is located at 6974 Sunrise Boulevard in the Copperwood Square shopping center. Dining hours are Tuesday through Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner, 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Weekend dining hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., reopening for dinner from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. and reopening for dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant offers both dine-in or to-go options. For more information, call 916-745-3173, or visit thaiorchidtogo.com