When Spice & Pepper quietly closed its doors at 236 Boston Post Road in June, many Wayland residents assumed the town’s only Thai restaurant was gone for good. For weeks, rumors had circulated that Amarin of Thailand, a Wellesley restaurant, would take over the space. But the deal collapsed amid last-minute drama, leaving the family behind Spice & Pepper with a tough decision: either walk away or reopen. They chose to reopen.
The attempted sale was informal from the start, based on a handshake understanding rather than a signed agreement. While owner Tom Kaewprasert was out of the country, the prospective buyer sought to renegotiate the terms, demanding a $30,000 reduction from the previously discussed amount. Kaewprasert refused. At that point, the lease was still in his name, and costs continued to accrue. With the sale off the table, the family regrouped and decided to revive Spice & Pepper.
The relaunch has been a genuine family effort. Tom and his wife both hold full-time day jobs, which makes running the restaurant in the evenings a balancing act. Their daughter April stepped in to help manage operations.
“It’s all hands on deck right now,” April Kaewprasert said. “We didn’t want to lose something the community has counted on for years.”
The family is also in the process of hiring and training a new team to stabilize operations and reduce the burden on themselves.
The reopening offered both continuity and renewal. For example, it gave the family a chance to rethink the menu; to streamline costs and improve consistency, several underperforming items were cut. In their place, they added new dishes meant to attract attention and keep the kitchen running smoothly. Among them are Salt & Pepper Wings, a new Salt & Pepper Spice seasoning blend, Lo Mein, and Seaside Shrimp Noodle. Two new salads, Sweet & Sour Chicken and Spicy Chicken, round out the updated offerings.The goal, the family explained, is to give customers variety without overwhelming the kitchen.
Business survival in Wayland
Small businesses can be fragile. They rely on steady patronage. As April Kaewprasert put it, “We’re not a big chain. Every order really matters.” The margin for survival is slim. Tom estimates that the restaurant needs 30 to 50 orders each night to cover its expenses. In a business where even small dips in volume can be devastating, community support will be critical.
Spice & Pepper now serves dinner Sunday through Thursday from 3:30 to 9:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until 9:30 p.m.
