Che tristezza!
Loyal customers of a longtime pizza staple in North Vancouver will be sad to see their local restaurant serve its last slice.
On Aug. 14, The Flying Wedge at Park & Tilford shopping centre will close down after 22 years in business.
The premium pizza maker will be replaced by a Fresh Slice, said Lynn Liu, who has been store manager at Flying Wedge for 12 years.
“We got bought out by a bigger chain,” said Liu, listing the mounting challenges of keeping her store afloat.
“The cost goes up. The employee wage goes up,” she said. “So we decided we had to let go…. It was a tough decision.”
After three UBC art school graduates founded the first location in Kitsilano in 1989, the company appeared to be rolling in the mozzarella, opening several franchises in the Lower Mainland, including Langley and downtown Vancouver.
But all of those stores have closed in recent years. The original Kits restaurant was replaced by a Cockney Kings fish n’ chips eatery in 2023.
The Park & Tilford franchise was first issued a business licence in 2002, and has changed ownership twice since then.
'Only the bigger chains can survive'
For a small business it’s really hard to compete, Liu said.
“I think only the bigger chains can survive,” she said. “They have the pricing power, advertising everywhere.”
Liu, who lives in Burnaby, said she loves the area of North Vancouver around her pizza shop.
“Everyone is so friendly,” she said, thanking customers for their support over the years.
“Some of the customers come every day,” Liu said, breaking into tears. “I think I will miss them.”
With a sign near the till informing patrons of the upcoming closure, Liu reminisced with some of her employees about good memories at the business.
“It was a great place to work,” said Adrian Lockwood, who worked at the North Van Flying Wedge for eight years. “It was probably the best place to work for getting out of your comfort zone.”
“I’ve been a lot more social since I started working here,” added Ocian Hombach, a seven-year employee.
While Liu plans to take a break after closing her store, there might be more dough and tomato sauce on the horizon.
“Making pizzas is very fun,” she said.
