Growing up in Laos, Damron never thought he would one day open up his own restaurant, ​especially since his mother discouraged him not to take after her footstep. “The restaurant business is hard, and the success rate is low,” his mom would say.  

At a young age, he remembers watching his father in awe making ramen noodles from scratch. His parents themselves had a small restaurant specializing in pho and noodles. After the Vietnam War, his family moved to Thailand, where he learned Thai cooking from his aunt. In 1980, his family moved to the US and settled in Saint Petersburg, Florida.  

A​fter a few years of working “Corporate America” jobs, Damron decided that was not for him, and he made a decision that was in his heart and one that would change his life forever. Although he never had any formal experience opening up and running a restaurant, with some luck, determination, and many YouTube crash courses, Damron was able to begin his journey, starting with a skeleton crew to help him open Sab Café.