Satire By Joe Fotalattee
Larry Chave, 35, from Burt Korn, Alabama first arrived in Ho Chi Minh as a tourist in 2012. “From the first moment I stepped foot in the bustling alleyways with a plethora of food stalls, I didn’t see one Cinnabon.”
Larry previously visited impoverished nations in Africa and thought that he could change the world if the fried dough with sugar on top was prepared in the “correct way”.
It first started as a hobby for Larry as he made a few Cinnabons in his toaster over in his apartment in Thu Duc. “It was really difficult at first because there are no ovens in Vietnam,” Larry told The Beat.
Larry was determined to get the “correct” flaking of the dough while baking and began sharing the cinnamon buns with some of his NGO friends. “I even suggested they could do a white paper on exploiting low labor costs, because I would never be able to have an employee in my own country.”
Yet, Larry does not currently have staff and hopes to hire some soon. This doesn’t stop Larry from describing himself as an entrepreneur, CEO, and sole proprietor. “After a few more of these visa border runs, I plan to expand into other markets like Hanoi.” Larry spoke optimistically about the future, “A lot of people call me the King of The Cinnabon, but you can just call me Larry.”