MARLIN, Texas (KXXV) — For more than a month, 302 Thai Express in Marlin has been closed — and it's all because of a hit-and-run.
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Marvin Weaver and his wife, Nithiya Chompoopuen, were returning from vacation at the end of May when they got the call no business owner wants to receive.
"Somebody calls us and says somebody hit your building. I think somebody hit your building," Weaver said.
The couple still can't believe what happened to their restaurant while they were away. Their security cameras didn't catch the culprit.
"Wreckless, careless drivers," Weaver said.
When Marvin and Nithiya finally arrived at the restaurant, they were shocked by what they found.
"We got here at like 10pm at night time. We didn't see any damage, but we look up, and there's a big gap between the awning and building," Chompoopuen said.
The cracked awning allowed about 4 inches of rainwater inside the building. The owners now have to replace the floors and tear the awning down completely.
The timing made the situation even more difficult for the family.
"We've been here 4 years, so this is our first long vacation," Weaver said.
302 Thai Express is one of the Marlin businesses to receive a downtown renovation grant, but the owners say they are now back at square one. Weaver said they have reached out to several contractors but haven't been able to hire anyone yet. One company told them it didn't have the manpower.
"We're waiting, waiting, waiting, it's kind of a waiting game," Weaver said.
Loyal customers have been calling every day to find out when the restaurant will reopen. While the building can be repaired, the owners say they are thankful nobody got hurt.
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