Month: May 2015

Did you realize that there are only 2 days left to get your nominations in for #DECAgems? The Final Round will be announced on Friday morning! Don’t miss out on a chance to tell everyone about your favourite spots; let us know via Facebook, Twitter @decadiaries (#DECAgems) or email!

Among the many local grocery options, Vincenzo’s Supermarket (2406 Danforth) has been voted as a standout. Beyond the impressive selection of imported goods, the “great deli with a wide array of cheeses, cold cuts and marinated goodies,” and the fresh produce and butcher counters, Vincenzo’s is “run by the nicest family who always have a warm smile and a little treat for kids,” says local nominator Andrea.

Local Vincenzo admirer Corinne (pictured above with Sam, Mary and Al) stopped by for a chat with that nice family and interviewed Mary, the daughter of the original founding owners and now part owner. Here’s what she tells us:

Mary is always on hand to greet her customers and give advice on what to buy or how to cook something. Her enthusiasm and outgoing personality makes it a treat to go in and say hello.

Vincenzo’s has been open and operating in that same location at the corner of Danforth and Westlake for 51 years. Mary officially started working there when she finished school in 1976, but before that she was always there in the evenings and on the weekends helping out. It is a true family business. Sam, Mary’s mom, was on hand today as well.

Their most popular item is their home made Italian sausages. They are made fresh in small batches, with no preservatives. On a busy day, they sometimes make 3 batches to keep up with the demand. As someone who has enjoyed their sausages, I can honestly say they are the best I’ve ever tasted! If you haven’t had them, stop whatever you’re doing and go grab some ASAP.

The best change Mary sees in the neighbourhood is that more young families are moving in with small children. Parents often drop the kids at school, then pop into Vincenzo’s to grab food for lunch or dinner that day. Mary has had the privilege of seeing small children in the community grow into teenagers. She loves getting to know the customers and looks forward to meeting all the first time homebuyers who have been moving into the neighbourhood.

Mary says she’s got so many stories to tell – some crazy, some weird – but the thing that strikes her the most as interesting is that she often feels like a Tim Horton’s drive through window employee. People stop at the door with their dog, ask Mary to grab them a few items from around the store, and hand her some money. She gathers all the required items, rings them up, and gives the change to the person waiting at the door. She gets to know what people like and she’s happy to oblige with this “drive-through” service for her customers.

If Vincenzo’s won the DECA Gems prize pack, Mary would love to get a website. Did you notice the link to the Yelp listing at the top? Mary doesn’t have e-mail either. She would love to do something about the green walls inside and says she is over her green phase. She would still like a warm colour to go with the orange fridges, but the green has got to go. And while it might be a bit beyond the prize pack, she really dislikes the metal awning over the east corner and side of the store. It’s worn and is showing its age.

Corinne says: “I think Vincenzo’s would benefit greatly by the DECA Gems prize pack. After 51 years of service to the neighbourhood, it just might be time for the community to give something back to them.”

The #DECAgems team has been a lucky group over the past couple of weeks. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing incoming nominations, and as a result, we’ve stashed away some great tips on where to go for what in our neighborhood.

The only thing we love more than getting the lowdown on everyone’s favourite spots is sharing those suggestions with you! So in the final week of nominations, we’re sharing the scoop on some of the popular nominees. (If you want to see who’s being nominated, follow us on Twitter @decadiaries (#DECAgems) or Facebook.)

Sunny’s Auto Clinic at 2404 Danforth Avenue was an early nominee and has had a few advocates. Katrina says, “Every time I bring my van in I get information I feel I can trust and that’s such a relief! I would recommend him to anyone looking for a great mechanic.”

Owner/operator Sunny Gafur is grateful for the support the neighborhood has shown for his services. We chatted with him about the story behind Sunny’s and here’s what he had to say:

Ever since I was a kid I wanted my own business. After working for a few years in the trade, I began to see why people had a bad perception of auto shops and mechanics, and I knew I wanted to do things differently. I set personal goals of becoming a licensed technician and starting my own business by the time I was 25 years old. I worked very hard to earn my certificate of qualification in three and half years (as opposed to the five that it normally takes). After working for a few years as a licensed mechanic, I started to look for a shop to rent. The landlords at this site, Vincenzo and his daughter Mary, knew I was starting out on my own. They took a chance on me and rented the shop to me at a great rate. The first year was tough, but the neighbourhood embraced me as a young entrepreneur and gave me a chance. This year I am proud to say that we are celebrating our sixth anniversary.

When I first started, most of my clients were older families. Now it’s mostly young families. I’ve seen some businesses close, and some new and exciting ones open, including a planned car wash next to my shop. A new condo is going up across the street. I think all these changes are for the good!

I have the best customers. I recently welcomed my fist child into the world (in the middle of the fall tire season!), and was completely overwhelmed by all the crazy support, advice and beautiful cards and gifts that my customers gave to me.

My family moved to Canada from Bangladesh in 1993. We’ve lived in the east end of the city since 1994 and I live here still. When I first opened the shop, I lived at Woodbine and Gerrard and really wanted to stay close to home.

I would redo the shop’s signs, add lighting to the sign and the parking lot, paint a mural on the side of the trailer that represents the community and the shop’s place in it and get updated photos for the website and Yelp listing.

I would be honoured to win because I am proud to provide a service to this great neighbourhood and it would be wonderful to have that recognized.

We’re down to the last few days to nominate your favorite #DECAgems. You have until this Thursday, May 7th to get your word in here, on Twitter @decadiaries (#DECAgems) or by emailing us at DECAgems@gmail.com.

– by guest blogger Razili Datta