For close to 32 years, Fong's Bar and Restaurant closed on Mondays. Leo and Cindy Le kept that one night free so their family could have dinner together at home. "Monday night dinners have been sacred for us," Cindy told the Prior Lake News Compass in August. "The kids needed to have a pretty good reason to not show up for family dinners."
The couple told the paper that daily life would look very different starting Nov. 1. Fong's last day of business was scheduled for Sept. 30, and the couple planned to give the keys to the building's new owner at the end of October. That handoff lands in the stretch of the year when the city's own calendar sends the most families on foot past downtown storefronts. The building at 4770 Pleasant Street SE changes owners about when kids in costumes are walking downtown for candy.
A Restaurant That Started With a Building
Fong's didn't start with a restaurant plan. It started with a building. Cindy's parents, David Sr. and Helen, opened Fong's Chow Mein in Bloomington in 1958. Eight years later they opened David Fong's on 94th Street and Lyndale, which ran until 2022. When Leo and Cindy went looking for their own spot, they wanted "a community that would grow." Prior Lake had about 12,000 people then, and the new Bloomington Ferry Bridge was expected to bring a decade of fast growth.
Then-Mayor Lee Andren told them about a new building going up downtown. Bob Facente, a loan officer and vice president at a Bloomington bank, approved their loan on a handshake. Fong's opened in January 1995.
The restaurant grew along with the town. The building added a full-service bar and an event center in expansions in 2002 and 2004. When Fong's opened, Leo said, takeout was 70% of the business and dine-in was 30%. Today more customers eat in than take food home. One chef has worked there for more than 31 years, and many other staff have been there over 20.
"We've always believed in supporting the community that supports you. We've always tried to run our business with a philosophy of being kind, being helpful and living a good life." — Cindy Le, Prior Lake News Compass, Aug. 27, 2026
Chula's Came Together the Same Way, 31 Years Later
Downtown's newest restaurant followed almost the same path. Manny Perez had been thinking about a restaurant for five years. He said he felt Prior Lake "needed something else, like a really good pizza place or another really good restaurant." Dan Stanley, owner of Stanley & Wencl Construction, let him know that the building formerly occupied by T-Shirts & More was for sale. The two bought it together. Stanley ran the redevelopment and construction, and Perez runs the restaurant.
Chula's had its grand opening May 22 at 4636 Colorado St. SE. It serves a chef-driven Mexican-Latin menu based on Perez's heritage, and Suzie Dahl and her daughter Mercedes Dahl are co-founders.
In 1995 a mayor pointed to a new building. In 2026 a builder pointed to an old one. Both times, downtown got a new restaurant because a building became available and someone with local ties saw what it could be. The Le family's announcement points to the same thing happening on Pleasant Street. The building goes to a new owner, and a new restaurant is expected to open there. The August report didn't name the operator or give an opening date.
October Is When Downtown Storefronts Get the Most Foot Traffic
The timing matters because of what downtown Prior Lake hosts this month. Several October events use downtown businesses as stops, not just as a backdrop.
The clearest example is the city's Candy Crawl, a daytime trick-or-treat event for Prior Lake's youngest residents. Little Lakers Montessori School and Sonnet Montessori School sponsor it. Kids start at City Hall, 4646 Dakota St. SE, where city departments hand out treats, then continue to participating downtown businesses. The city posted its 2025 route as an example and says the 2026 map will be shared by Oct. 29. The route depends on which storefronts are open and taking part. That's why it matters this year that one of downtown's longest-running businesses is between owners.
The Prior Lake Farmers Market is the other weekly reason to be downtown. It runs at 16228 Main Ave. SE on Saturdays through Oct. 17. The market's own site lists hours of 8 a.m. to noon, but the Scott County calendar shows different hours for the Oct. 10 market, so check before you go.
Just up Main Avenue, Boathouse Brothers Brewing is still open after a late-September roof fire. As of the Oct. 1 report, only the middle room was closed while owner Emmett Swartout assessed repairs. He has owned the brewery since 2018. "Every little bit keeps a small business going, and we continue to see that from our local customers," he said, and he is offering Skibsol smoked porter at a discount for a short time to thank customers. Room availability may have changed since that report.
The Month, Date by Date
Downtown events sit inside a larger city calendar. Here is what's confirmed from now to Halloween, plus one November date:
- Mon., Oct. 5, 6–8 p.m.: Fall Community Fest. The 40th year of this free, all-ages event, held at Prior Lake High School and hosted by Prior Lake-Savage Schools Community Education and the Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce.
- All month: Parktober. Three Rivers Park District's month-long trail mileage challenge started with a kickoff hike and bonfire at Cleary Lake Regional Park on Oct. 1. You can still log miles.
- Thu., Oct. 8, 5:30–8 p.m.: Prior Lake Fire Department open house. Trucks, station tours and free refreshments at Fire Station 1, 16776 Fish Point Road. One county calendar lists this under Oct. 5, but the department's notice says Oct. 8.
- Sat., Oct. 17: Last farmers market of the season on Main Avenue.
- Oct. 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31: Prior Lake Players perform Much Ado About Nothing at Twin Oaks Middle School, 15860 Fish Point Road. Halloween costumes are encouraged on closing night.
- Sun., Oct. 25, 1–2:30 p.m.: Trick or Treat Geocaching at Cleary Lake Regional Park, 18106 Texas Ave. All ages, $8 per person.
- Wed., Oct. 28, 1–3 p.m.: Halloween Party at Club Prior, 16210 Eagle Creek Ave. SE. Free, with a costume contest, snacks and a dance showcase.
- Thu., Oct. 29, 6–8 p.m.: Moonlit Magic and Spooky Stories at the Cleary Lake lakeside pavilion. Yoga, then cider and stories. Ages 12 and up, $15.
- Fri., Oct. 30, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.: Candy Crawl, starting at City Hall and continuing to participating downtown businesses.
- Fri., Oct. 30, 5:30–7:30 p.m.: Trunk or Treat at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 5634 Luther Rd. SE. Free and family-oriented, with food trucks and access to the playground.
- Fri., Oct. 30, 8–11 p.m.: Charlie's Boo Bash at Charlie's on Prior, 3950 Green Heights Trail SW. Costume contest, drink specials and a live DJ.
- Sat., Oct. 31, 2–4:30 p.m.: Community Halloween Party at Twin Oaks Middle School for ages 1–12. $8 if you preregister, or $10 cash at the door.
- Sat., Nov. 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.: The city's Holiday Market at Club Prior. Vendor applications were accepted through Oct. 1.
Oct. 30 is the busiest day on this list, with four events between morning and late evening. It falls in the same final week of October when Fong's is scheduled to change hands.
What Happens at 4770 Pleasant Street Next
The published plan is short. Sept. 30 was scheduled as Fong's last day, a new owner takes the building at the end of October, and a new restaurant is expected to follow. Fong's website still lists regular hours, even though the announced last day has passed. If you're planning dinner there this month, call ahead.
Whoever opens next gets a building that has already been expanded twice, with a full-service bar and an event center built in. They also start with a downtown that, by the Le family's account, has supported its restaurants for 31 years. Leo says he doesn't expect to golf every day. Italy, Vietnam and a drive down the West Coast are at the top of the couple's list.
If you own a downtown Prior Lake building or a home near Main Avenue and want to know how changes like the Fong's handoff could affect its value, The Hancock Group can walk you through it with local market context. Request a Free Home Evaluation and we'll start with your street. For more on everyday life on the water, see our guide to living on Prior Lake.
