Garwood Grill for Sale

It came up in a Facebook post on real estate agent Brad Gross's page that the Garwood Grill on Pembina Highway was for sale. It was also posted on Reddit as well. It has been decades that it has been run by a Greek family but it looks like they've reached a time where there is no one left to run it in the future. And so it is with Greek family owned places. They have a first and often a second generation to run and operate things. There is often not a third. In many cases, the third generation is established in very different industries...at the encouragement of their parents. If there are children at all. In many cases, Greek families have gotten smaller and smaller to the point that no one left in the family is there to take over.

It is unknown what circumstances are there for Garwood Grill. Anna and her parents ran it successfully all these years. It was in the 1980s that my family first went to the restaurant. At first it was just occasional weekends or birthdays or general celebrations. My parents then went for breakfast every weekend and had a warm relationship with Anna and the serving staff. When I left for Japan, it was part of their routine to go to breakfast and write letters to me while there.

For working people for the city especially, Garwood was the place for a hearty breakfast or lunch. The variety of the menu items meant you could find something for everyone from pizza to steak and from breakfast to dinner. Prices and portions are what you might expect from a Greek family restaurant. They're great.

Winnipeg owes a lot to our Greek community. And Winnipeg Greeks gave a lot back to the world from Nia Vardalas with My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Family restaurants are absolutely needed to counterbalance franchises. Nothing wrong with franchises but many don't do all day menus or variety or have servers who have been doing the jobs for years.

Garwood Grill has been known to rent their facility too to groups that often get overlooked. This is not something you might get from a chain restaurant. I don't think any community lasts without gathering places. The more personal connection, the better.

Garwood Grill included all the kitchen and items for operations. However, it also included the property, an additional property as well as a four bedroom apartment above. It can be sure there will be a high level of interest in owning this. With luck, it will retain much of what made it a treasured Greek restaurant. On at least a few occasions new owners didn't get that aspect and the restaurant failed. 

As for Anna and your family, you have been the best.