Recorded on April 20, 2021 – Obsessed with all things food, drink, including hospitality, we speak to Niki about her start in the food industry and how vision and hard-working ethics have helped her to be the neighbourhood spot people have grown to love.
Time Stamps:
- Intro – 0:04
- Covid – 2:25
- Business – 8:53
- Personal – 26:50
- City – 37:47
- Rapid Fire – 47:54
- Conclusion – 50:04
- End – 52:32
Where There’s A Will There’s A Way With Niki Tsourounakis
Niki (and her partner Katy) never stop working, so much that sometimes Niki forgets where she started. Niki started her first business twelve years ago with an organic olive oil import company. That gave way to Café Neon, Bar Neon, which has two locations, a catering business and a bakery, now with her partner Katy.
Niki grew up in the hospitality business. Her parents owned a restaurant and a hotel both in Canada and in Crete. She was ‘thrown into it’ and began serving tables in her early teens. This helped her to emerge from her introverted shell, at her own pace.
They have been adapting and investing in their businesses for future growth, once Covid is over. We are convinced that Bar Neon will have one of Toronto’s best patios, as of this summer. Thinking outside the box, shipping containers are used as a bar and they’ve designed a pizza kitchen to create a unique and cozy outdoor atmosphere.
Niki learned that things don’t need to be perfect. Take action on the things you can control and things will work out. She looks to her future self for inspiration. Optimism coupled with a hard-working ethic, the entrepreneurial spirit runs deep.
With no shortage of creative thinking, Niki believes that they will be stronger by becoming the neighbourhood spot that is well known.
Website:
Follow On Instagram:
@cafe_neon
@bar_neon
@neon_breadandwine
Other Links to Share:
Charities: Friends of Ruby – www.friendsofruby.ca
Rainbow Railroad – www.rainbowrailroad.org
Sistering Women’s Shelter – www.sistering.org
