GOOD MORNING! The pleasant smile of George
Roumanes welcomes you enter the "U & I Restaurant" at 777 Barrydowne
Road in Sudbury and you are greeted by name.
Flashback to 1967 it is Canada's Centennial Year.
The vinyl-coated tablecloth is now covered by the Good Morning breakfast
menu at one of the few eateries open at 6 a.m.
You've got 5 bucks in your pocket so you
can, spring for a really hearty breakfast. Chilled orange juice
(.60), coffee with refills (.35), bacon with 2 eggs over easy served
with toast and home fries ($2.15). Great food at great prices! You've
got enough left over for a tip and a sandwich for lunch! Petros
Iltsopoulos (George Roumanes' partner) reminds you that the "U &
I Refreshments Canteen" truck will be over at the job site by 11:30
with lunch. "Have a Nice Day!" he says. With a start like this,
you will.
Iltsopoulos put in 12-14 hour days both
in the restaurant or in the truck, no matter what the weather. It
takes a great deal of dedication and teamwork to make any partnership
work. But Petros and Maria Iltsopoulos together with George and
Helen Roumanes were committed to making their business a success.
Today it is evident that this hard work did indeed pay off.
Fast-forward to 1997, same location, same family
tradition of fine food at affordable prices. "Mr. Prime Rib" Northern
Ontario's Finest Prime Rib & Steak House also offers outstanding
dishes such as seafood, pasta & chicken. Proudly cooked to perfection
and served with the Roumanes Family attention to detail.
This year "Mr. Prime Rib" celebrates it's
32 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, offering continued service and fine dining,
to Sudbury and Regional Municipality.
It all started over 40 years ago in the
small Village of Katavorthra, in the Province of Laconias in Southern
Greece. When Sotirios Roumanes' cousin Gus Lagges from Canada visited
Greece in 1955. Sotirios asked him to sponsor his son George so
he could start life in North America.
Thus, started the new life of young George
Roumanes as he came to Canada at the age of 18 years with $30.00
in his pocket. He could not speak the language, and came from a
totally different cultural background than those he met in Sudbury.
But with a strong sense of will and good moral fibre he bravely
set out to conquer his new world.
Sixteen hour days were commonplace as, young
George worked beside his Uncle Gus Lagges in his restaurant business
(well known even today as Gus's Restaurant on Elm Street). Here
he washed dishes, swept floors and bused tables while he strug-gled
to learn English.
But there was also joy and love during those
tough days. Helen Lagges had been spon-sored by her older brother
Nick and came to Canada in 1956. George and Helen had both emigrated
from the same Greek Village, had attended school together and had
always been fond of each other. Far from their sunny homeland, love
blossomed to warm the cold Sudbury winter. By 1961 George and Helen
Roumanes as well as Petros and Maria, Iltsopoulos had gained enough
experience and saved enough funds to go into business for them-selves.
Together they started serving sandwiches and coffee out of the back
of a van. "U & I Refreshments" began serving lunch to Sudbury and
area construction sites. They were there nourishing the hard workers
who built Sudbury's Laurentian University in 1963. |
|
On January 26, 1967 their new family restaurant
opened at 777 Barrydowne Road and they called it the "U & I Restaurant
and Tavern". It had seating for 60 with the three "U & I" canteen
trucks operating out of the back. In 1968 renovations continued
and the truck garage made way for more seating as the restaurant
expanded to 100 seats in 1978. Major renovations took place which
changed it from a family type restaurant to a fine dining establishment.
By 1980 when the restaurant changed names
to become "Mr. Prime Rib" all of the Roumanes children (Sam, Joanne,
Joyce) as well as the Iltsopoulos children (Petro, Helen, Joyce)
had tried their hand at any number of the various tasks required
to run a restaurant.
Sam Roumanes recalls his parents George
& Helen working alternate shifts so there was always a family member
at "Mr. Prime Rib" as well as one at home. At the age of 9 Sam was
helping out on the breakfast shift in the kitchen, frying bacon
and homefries before 6 a.m. "I would do dishes, sweep and mop. I
didn't do the pots though because they were too heavy", he recalls
with a laugh.
Soon after the final expansion in 1985,
Sam Roumanes had completed his education in Management in the Hospitality/Tourism
Program at Ryerson and came back to' Sudbury to work full time in
the family business.
Petros and Maria Iltsopoulos left the business
in 1987 to join their son who owns a successful chain of pizzerias
in Florida.
In 1987 George and Helen Roumanes had become
sole proprietors and were enthusiastic about welcoming their son
into the business. The restaurant now had seating for 150 and had
expanded to include two banquet/meeting rooms. If you were interested
in an intimate dinner for two, or a special anniversary or birthday
party for fifty Mr. Prime Rib was ready to make your visit memorable.
Sam Roumanes is dedicated to continue in
the family tradition of excellent food and service that has been
the hallmark of "Mr. Prime Rib". He lives in Sudbury with his wife
Monique and sons Matthew and George-Alexander. "My parents have
taught me that you must work consistently hard to succeed, especially
in this tough economy." I am prepared to do that as well as ensure
that there is always one of our family here to wel-come you and
care for your dining needs, just as my family has traditionally
done", he adds.
George Roumanes recalls how this family
owned and operated restaurant has been a proud establishment since
1967. They have seen Sudbury grow from a mining town to a cosmopolitan
city. "I am very proud to have grown along with Sudbury and to offer
"Mr. Prime Rib" as a premiere eating establishment in this city"
says Roumanes.
George Roumanes announces with heartfelt
gratitude, "On behalf of myself, my wife Helen, my family and my
brother Peter Roumanes, as well as our longtime & dedicated staff
I would like to say thank you to Sudbury. THANK YOU to our valued
customers for your continued support and commitment to us over the
past 30 years. Our pledge is to continue to provide you with an
unsurpassed dining experience."
Back
to About Us |
