Happy Dumpling named Northglenn rookie business of the year

Happy Dumpling, a Northglenn restaurant, was named rookie business of the year, the owner said during brief remarks.

The owner of Happy Dumpling said the restaurantowner said, "The winner of the rookie business of the year award goes to Happy Dumpling. Our mission is to introduce our childhood food to the community here." The owner added that the restaurant aims to share foods tied to Chinese New Year and other family festivals, when dumplings are typically made together.

Why it matters: the owner emphasized the shop is woman-owned, employs local youth and has drawn customers from beyond Northglenn, signaling regional interest in the business. "We are always looking to improve our business, customer service, and quality of the food, drinks," the owner said.

Details: the owner described the menu as focused on dumplings and soup dumplings, saying "people are customers are surprised to have a dumpling and have soup inside." The owner noted the restaurant's parents helped make dumplings but were at the time back in China. She said the restaurant took about two years to open, requiring a full remodel and plumbing work, and opened in mid 2023. The owner said the shop employs eight people, is woman-owned and hires high school students. She also told listeners that some regular customers drive from Longmont and Colorado Springs to eat at the restaurant.

The remarks included a brief origin story: the owner said she and a partner purchased an existing restaurant during the COVID period after the plaza owner asked her to try to save the business, and that she recruited a manager from San Francisco with previous bubble-tea experience. The remarks closed with the owner expressing excitement about the award: "We're so excited."