Nguyen Dam Linh is 26-years-old. He’s spent most of his life in Cua Lo. He’s a dedicated dad and entrepreneur. Linh, is in the process of expanding his business (his family expanded a year ago, with the birth of his second son).

    Linh’s wife, Trang, is a few years older than her husband (she’s 29). Trang speaks pretty fair English. When Mai and I met the pair at their thriving coffee shop: Café Boom, their youngest son, Dang, was on Trang’s lap, giving me high-fives, as we sat around a table on the outdoor patio.

    When the age difference came up, there were bashful smiles. I called Trang a “Cougar,” the euphemism was lost in translation…

    Linh was born in Yen Thanh (in the Nghe An province). His family used to spend time in Cua Lo (about 45 kilometers away). Apparently, the parents liked what they saw. When Linh was six, his family (mom, dad, brother and sister) moved to the beachside hamlet, where they opened a hotel.

    “My parents had been farmers in Yen Thanh, but when we moved to Cua Lo, they decided to open a hotel. They saw that Cua Lo was a growing tourist town. At the time, there weren’t a lot of accommodations. My parents were looking to get in on the ground floor. They definitely felt there was money to be made and they opened a successful hotel. Right here, on the very spot where my café now stands.”

    Linh, his brother and sister, led an idyllic life, with the ocean as their playground. But Linh wanted something more. Something for himself. Something earned, not given…

    “After graduating high school, I decided to represent a Vietnamese clothing company selling their merchandise in Russia. I spent two-years there. I was successful. So much so, that when I returned to Cua Lo, I was able to open my own café.”

     As fate would have it, Linh’s folks had retired from the hotel business and had converted the structure into a living space. Therefore, the ground floor of the French-styled building (once the hotel lobby), stood empty. And that’s where Linh opened Café Boom.

    “My life was good, but it got even better in 2018. That’s when I went on a business trip to the southern province of Binh Duong and met Trang.”

    Linh and Trang exchanged glances. Speaking softly in Vietnamese. The baby bouncing on Trang’s lap. I didn’t ask Mai to translate. Their devotion was obvious.

    “It was love-at-first-sight,” Trang blushed, while Linh nodded shyly. “Six-months later we were married.”

    Mai asked Linh what changes he’s noticed in Cua Lo over the years. He reflected. And then he spoke.

    “There has been change, of course, but it has been slow. An evolution, from one-year to the next. And despite the change and growth, we have maintained the spirit, charm and natural beauty of our town.

    “More and more investors are coming to Cua Lo and that is good. There will be more business opportunities for everyone. But I truly believe, Cua Lo will retain its personality.”

    As for Linh’s growth plans, if any?

    “I’m working on an expansion of the café. We will soon open a second floor. The old building is coming back to life. One floor at a time!”