For Gurcharan Singh, selling his family business was like losing an old friend.

In fact, one of Singh’s daughters, 25-year-old Anupreet Saini, cried when her father announced that he had sold House of India, the Indian restaurant that called Pleasant Street home for more than 20 years.

A new owner, also an Indian native, featured a soft opening on Wednesday and will confer with his family soon before his official opening.

“It’s all us kids have ever known,” said Anupreet’s 28-year-old brother, Jasdeep Singh. “Before we came here, we had a restaurant in Portland (Maine). We’ve always done restaurant work.”

That stage in their lives is over. At least for now. Gurcharan’s three children, all graduates of Concord High School, have finished college and moved on to careers in other fields, limiting how much time they could invest in the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Gurcharan’s father, Sarwan Singh, also the kids’ 84-year-old grandfather, has needed more home care recently. That’s why Gurcharan, 54, sold his business and closed his doors on July 30, allowing him to cater to his ailing father rather than continuing to work six days a week.

“My father is old and we have no help,” Gurcharan said.

Hiring staff had become a problem in a post-COVID world, plus some of Gurcharan’s staff moved to another state. Gurcharan had depended on his children in years past, but they grew up and COVID changed everything, leaving the House of India as a take-out-only establishment beginning three years ago.

Gurcharan never again hosted sit-down dining.

“We had a staffing issue,” Jasdeep said, “and it was hard to get people to work. It would have been too much for my mom and dad.”

Gurcharan was alone when he moved to Portland, Maine, in 1985 and opened a restaurant there. His family joined him in 1996, and the House of India opened in 2002.

That worked well through the years, until this summer.

“It was mostly because of my grandfather,” Jasdeep said. “It got to be where he needed more care and more attention. It was easier to be home with family, and my parents needed a break from working six days a week for 22 years.”

Inder Jit Saini is the new owner, calling the restaurant Curry Leaf. He moved to the States from India 12 years ago and settled in Lewiston, Maine, for four years. He worked in the restaurant business with his uncle in Nashua for six years.

He began to believe he could be his own boss, saying, “I wanted my own place because I knew I had the experience to do it.”

He opened a restaurant in Foxboro, near Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. He still owns it and said the locals know the roads to use to avoid traffic and therefore don’t pass by his restaurant. Most of his customers are out-of-towners, driving on the main route to and from Patriots games and concerts.

A friend told him that Gurcharan was selling, and the deal went through with no major obstacles. Saini made some changes, offering lunch until 3 p.m. and including appetizers like Paneer Pakora, Onion Bhaji and Aloo Tikki.

There are 17 new appetizers for the dinner menu, with dishes such as Gobi Manchurian, Chole Bhature and vegetable samosas.

His neon sign facing Pleasant Street read “open.” Saini did little advertising and labeled Wednesday as a soft opening. 

Colorful Phulkaris, handmade out of cloth and resembling magic carpets, hung from the ceiling. Indian music provided background.

Saini’s family lives in Florida and is due to visit soon. They’ll help him choose the official opening date, starting a new chapter in his life.

Another chapter, written by someone else, is closing. Gurcharan has no immediate plans, other than a trip to India for his nephew’s wedding.

“Time to rest,” he said.

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