Solomon Choi, the entrepreneur known for founding the self-service frozen yogurt chain 16 Handles, has passed away at the age of 44.
In a March 2023 Instagram post, Choi revealed that he sold his business during the 2022 pandemic.
Following the news of Choi’s passing, current 16 Handles owner and CEO Neil Hirschman released a statement regarding Choi’s passing.
Solomon Choi/Instagram
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of 16Handles founder and former CEO Solomon Choi,” Hirschman said in a statement obtained by People magazine.
“He was a visionary who came to New York in his 20s and founded this iconic frozen dessert brand. 16 Handles is where I personally got my start in franchising, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities, education, mentorship and friendship that Solomon gave me over the years.”
“Part of 16Handles’ mission statement is ‘Creating Happy Moments’ and Solomon truly embodied this in both his personal and professional life, always with a big smile and an optimistic outlook,” the statement continued.
“Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all those who loved and worked with him at this extremely difficult time.”
According to Choi’s LinkedIn profile, he was scheduled to participate in a panel titled “The Future of Digital Transformation in the Fast Casual & QSR Industry” at the QSR Summit on Tuesday, June 11.
The account lists him as CEO of Java Brands and lists his residence as New York.
According to his obituary, Choi died on June 7. No cause of death was listed.
Solomon Choi/Instagram
Prior to launching 16 Handles, the Seoul, South Korea-born entrepreneur attended the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, graduating in 2002 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
Choi is survived by his wife, Hannah Chan Choi, his two sons, Jubilee, 7, and Joshua, 4, his parents, and two sisters.
The couple met in 2015 and got engaged within 85 days of meeting.
Just six months after meeting, Choi and Changchae were married.
“Solomon was an incredible man who was driven by purpose and faith in God and passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. He led a Christian men’s group and was committed to supporting and inspiring those around him to be the best version of themselves,” his obituary said.
His loved ones said his “legacy will live on forever” and praised his “relentless optimism, discipline and fearlessness, and his Michael Jackson dance moves.”
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“He was committed to loving his wife and children with all he had and will be remembered as the best husband and greatest father in the world,” the obituary said.
Choi’s funeral will be held at 5pm on Saturday, June 14th at Promise Church.
