New Dartmouth Pizzeria A Dream Come True For Toulany Family
DARTMOUTH – Suzana Toulany has been in the pizza and restaurant business since 2005, which just so happened to be the year she immigrated to Canada from Lebanon. Now the family-oriented Halifax entrepreneur is having a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 9 to celebrate her new pizzeria, Geo’s.
For Toulany, this was a dream worth building for over the last 16 years.
“We were looking for a safe country; a place where we can consider home; a place where we could really achieve our dreams,” Toulany said, explaining why she and her family immigrated in 2005. “That opportunity, back then, was impossible back home.”
“It was a family business idea when we moved to Canada. I love cooking, and we thought opening a restaurant would be a great opportunity for the whole family.”
Geo’s technically opened in its Dartmouth location back in April. But, like many other businesses that opened in the middle of the pandemic, the restaurant’s official celebration had to be delayed until gathering limits increased.
Opening a new restaurant amid the possibility of lockdowns and restrictions was not an easy task.
“I’m not going to lie, it was a little bit of a stressful moment, specifically because we didn’t know where we’re going to end up with the pandemic; and after going under lockdown so many times,” said Toulany.
Geo’s isn’t your parent’s pizzeria. Along with classic pies, the restaurant also offers healthy choices, like gluten-free and vegan option. All their products are also MSG free.
Technically, this is the third restaurant Toulany has owned, but it’s the first where she has the freedom to choose the menu and the name. The past two pizza joints she owned were franchises, which limited the scope of what she could do.
“We have the freedom of serving whatever we want to do,” said Toulany. “You are so limited in what you can offer when you are in the franchise.”
“And when you have your own business, you can build your own dream.”
Toulany was motivated to open Geo’s when her contract with the franchise expired during the pandemic. The restaurant industry was suffering even more back then than it is now. She and her brother Freddy (who is co-owner of Geo’s) decided to build their dream restaurant, rather than go back with the franchise.
“It was very hard to decide during the pandemic if we should actually sign back with a franchise because there are extra fees when you get into a franchise,” said Toulany.
“And it was really a tough time during the pandemic (for business).”
For Toulany family and good food go hand-in-hand. Back in Lebanon, she and her siblings learned a passion for cooking from their beloved aunt Mouzaya, who owned a catering business.
“She had love; she would talk about food like she’s talking about something from the depths of her heart,” said Toulany.
Food is also a big part of Toulany’s culture, where people bond while sharing a great meal together around the table.
The name of the restaurant also reflects Toulany’s family values. Geo is the nickname of her five-year-old nephew Giovanni.
“He’s the first kid in the family and he is so special to us,” she said.
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].
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