BY BILL BRADLEY
Boston Pizza, a big brassy new pizza and pasta eatery and sports bar, opened yesterday in Sudbury off The Kingsway on 120 Donna Dr. just past Home Depot.
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Boston Pizza?s first customers Ron and Ida Gratton got a free lunch Tuesday. |
It?s a Canadian restaurant started by a Greek immigrant in Edmonton in 1965, serving Italian food with an American name, according to one of the Sudbury franchise owners, Kerry Barbour.
One of the original patrons, Jim Trevling, an RCMP officer, and George Melville, an accountant, were so impressed with the food and service, they
ended up buying out the original owner, said Barbour, at an opening reception last Saturday.
?Boston Pizza then opened stores in B.C., and later in Saskatchewan, so it was mostly western based. But in the last five years we have come east to
Ontario and the Maritimes,? he said.
The restaurant chain expects the eastern division, with 50 restaurants currently, will equal the western operation in terms of number of franchises. Boston Pizza has about 200 outlets in Canada now and they are looking at expanding into the American market.
?Boston Pizza is on a tear across Canada,? said Ken Otto, executive vice president for eastern Canada.
The Sudbury restaurant has seating for 125 in the dining room and 70 in our sports bar.
The sports bar features hockey memorabilia including items belonging to Sudbury-born defenceman Al Arbour?s 1961 Toronto Maple Leaf contract.
?He made $10,500 in 1961 and if the team placed first or second he got another $500 bonus,? said Barbour.
The business employs 120 including management staff said general manger Voyo Ziojutro.
Some 450 people applied for jobs at the Boston Pizza booth at the Cambrian College job fair in early July.
?The staff are exuberant. They couldn?t wait to open the business. They say all their friends were asking them when the doors open for customers,? said Barbour.
So are city politicians.
?This is great news. It is another fine example of jobs for young people,? said Ward 6 councillor Lynne Reynolds at the Saturday opening.
?Thanks for having the confidence in this community. You have a good reputation as being a well managed company. Your reputation preceeds you.
Personally, my experience here this evening, has been delightful,? said Ward 5 councillor Doug Craig.
