April 2, 2013, Hamilton, Ont. – After a 20-year hiatus, Mother's Pizza is back in business.
April 2, 2013, Hamilton, Ont. – After a 20-year hiatus, Mother's Pizza is back in business.
Owners Brian Alger and Geeve Sandhu re-opened the doors of Mother’s Pizza Parlour and Spaghetti House on April 1, in Hamilton, Ont. They are hoping to bring in new customers while reminding returning ones of the restaurant’s successes throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
"When you ask someone to list off things they remember about Mother’s Pizza, they all say the same thing – great food, great pizza, tall glasses, pizza pedestals, and silent movies," says Alger. "We’re catering to a whole new generation now, we have to recognize that the business has evolved."
The owners hope this is the first of many Mother’s Pizzas to return. At its prime, the pizza chain had about 120 restaurants across Canada and a few in the United States. The business closed down in the early 1990s.
Alger has revived old brands before. Having brought the PoP Shoppe beverage brand back to North America in 2004, Alger gets a real sense of pride in what he does for old businesses.
"It feels good to bring dormant brands back into the market. I like seeing how excited people get when they think about an old memory like Mother’s Pizza,” he says. “I grew up eating Mother’s Pizza, it’s probably where I got my love for the food."
Jay Nadeau, a pizza maker and delivery driver from one of the original Mother’s Pizzas in Oakville, Ont., is thrilled to see the return of his favourite pizza chain.
"There isn’t a pizza out there today that can compare to what they have," Nadeau says. "I have great memories from having birthday parties there when I was younger. They remind me of some of the best pizza I’ve ever had."
The owners buy bread from the local bakery, meat from the local butcher, and make their own sausage in the restaurant. "We do as much as possible in-house," Alger says. "If you happen to wander in and don’t know the restaurant’s history, you’ll still really like it. We really hope our returning customers appreciate how we’ve recreated some of the old favourites."
Alger and Sandhu have taken advantage of social media as they try and get people excited about the re-launch. "We posted a picture of our sign on Facebook during our early stages and received over 450 likes after just a few hours," he says. "Just talking about it gives me goose bumps."
The restaurant is at 701 Queenston Rd. in Hamilton. Nadeau and Alger both suggest trying the "Grandmother’s Pizza" first.
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