A Thorold restaurant owner looks back with gratitude at a family tradition of 36 years of pizza-making.
Second-generation Papa Vince Pizza-owner Johnny Coppola spent the afternoon much like his father Vince did on March 4, 1985, when Vince's opened up amidst a gruesome snow storm;
Getting ready for another long shift in the kitchen, slinging dough, stirring pasta sauce and grating the cheese, to compose pizzas that by popular account is something of a heritage product for Thorold.
The secret for the family restaurant's success, apart from its central location with proximity to bars and a sizeable and starving student population, is of course the trademark pies.
Last Friday alone, the handful of kitchen staff put out over 150 pizzas through its delivery- and take out options.
"The recipe hasn't changed since the start. We make our own dough and pizza sauce and dressing, and use a two-cheese combo that we grate in house. For us, the consistency is very important, and that's what people like," said Johnny Coppola to Thoroldnews.com.
It was the family tradition that played a heavy role in him taking over the restaurant together with his wife - despite his parents telling him to not worry about the future of the restaurant.
His parents, Vince and Adelina, immigrated from Italy and started the restaurant after Vince was laid off from his labour job.
Always having cooked, the couple identified that it would be the more robust, americanized version of the pizza that Thorold's locals were hungry for.
The menu has since been expanded with subs and wings - but under a certain degree of parental supervision, as Adelina sometimes comes to the restaurant to help out in the kitchen.
For Johnny Coppola, the passion for the craft is what will keep him going in the little take-out shop on Sullivan Avenue:
"It is something I love doing. I get to feed people, and make them happy with good food while also providing for my family."
The restaurant also offers delivery options through apps like DoorDash.
