From handing out baguettes in 1996 to revitalization today. How the City of Westminster’s Business Technology Marketing Grant helped Banh Mi Saigon reach a new generation of customers.

In 1996, Tommy Nguyen’s family used to market their business by walking up and down the street, handing fresh baguettes to strangers. These days, thanks to a small business grant from the City of Westminster, Nguyen uses modern methods to continue the 20-year legacy of Banh Mi Saigon.

Banh Mi Saigon’s second-generation business owner Tommy Nguyen was one of 19 recipients of the $5,000 Level Up Business Technology Grant which focused on marketing. The Level Up grant program developed in partnership with the OCIE Small Business Development Center (SBDC) featured 4 weeks of hybrid instruction, one-on-one business consultation with the SBDC, networking opportunities, and $5,000 to use toward marketing.

Banh Mi Saigon used the grant funds to hire a husband-and-wife team to conduct a social media campaign to market the sandwich shop in Little Saigon. The TikTok and Instagram posts went viral and have reignited Banh Mi Saigon enabling them to reach a new generation of customers.  “They took quality images of our products and sandwiches, to really grow our social media presence and bring in a younger generation,” said Nguyen. Nguyen took over the family Banh Mi business in 2024 after graduating from USC and spending two years in Vietnam teaching English on a Fulbright Scholarship. “And we have gotten like thousands and thousands of views on our videos. The comments are so cool because they're like ‘I've been to Banh Mi Saigon since I was a kid, and I can't believe they have social media now.’”

Nguyen describes the program as a blessing for his business—and his family. Not only has it directly enhanced how Banh Mi Saigon does business today, it has also opened the door for him to meet and synergize with many of his peers in Little Saigon. This networking, said Nguyen, “can help others gain invaluable hands-on experience on succession planning, and on how to run a family business as a second- generation owner.”

“It just seemed honestly too good to be true. I was like, free money, to support the brick- and-mortar businesses,” Nguyen said. “The money was great, and it's a way for us to work together. Grants like these are just so important for being windows for further connection and it doesn't stop there. It's the beginning of many more opportunities, not just for grants but for other development workshops, collaborations with the city, and other businesses.”

Though the program was launched last year, the city continues to help small businesses like Banh Mi Saigon grow by connecting them to resources. After the success of last year’s Small Business Expo and Conference, the City is once again hosting a small business conference on May 7, 2026, at the Westminster Rose Center during Small Business Month. Westminster is offering two grant opportunities available to Westminster businesses. More information is available on the City website at westminster-ca.gov/businessgrants.

Photos courtesy of Tommy Nguyen.