30 Years of Palasad In October of 1994, a new idea came to the corner of Adelaide and Oxford bringing food and fun together in one experience, and thus the Palasad was born. Now known as the Palasad SocialBowl, this food and entertainment space has become a fixture in the city, derived from the vision of friends and foodies who want to invest in the local scene. Originally the building was opened in 1962 as a 5-pin bowling alley to become the well-known Brunswick Bowling Plaza Lanes. By the early 1990s, the bowling alley had changed ownership and needed an update, and with the declining popularity in bowling leagues, the business ultimately closed. At this time Rob Szabo, the son of the owners of the building, took matters into his own hands. Though bowling leagues weren’t as popular, upscale billiards clubs were on the rise, combining the food and the fun in one space. Bringing this concept to London, Rob, along with his dad Louie, hired Hal Sorenti to completely re-design the interior of the space. Hal had designed the interior of La Casa restaurant downtown, and his friendship with the original manager Frank Guerco inspired the whole team to visit a well-known wood fired pizza place in Toronto. From here the dream of bringing delicious pizza to the menu came to life, and La Fiamma became an important part of the business. Because of the new wood-fired addition a Leonardo Da Vinci- inspired theme was chosen which brought about the large mural of the Mona Lisa eating pizza on the north side of the building. Since the 90s the business has stayed current with a second renovation in 2004 bringing back the bowling lanes to the space with a retro vibe by designer Gary Nichols.More recently Palasad underwent another major renovation with a two million dollar overhaul to develop the new SocialBowl vision, as well as a second location in the south end of town. The two businesses serve very different demographics but both maintain the original goal to create an inclusive space where people can come together to enjoy unforgettable experiences, build lasting memories, and feel a sense of community. Even Mona Lisa still hangs out at the back with her own ‘rejuvination’ done by Ryan Mahy from Art Fusion not long ago. In rebranding the business from Palasad North to the SocialBowl they added live music to the menu and have since been host to a number of incredible bands on a local, national and international level, including bands as far as Japan, Germany, England and Austria. They include Jim Cuddy, The Sheepdogs and Corey Hart during the Junos as well as The Killjoys, Forgotten Rebels…
the list goes on. “The music program has grown immensely since its inception in 2018, and its success solely rests on the staff that work the shows and the community who has embraced a bowling alley that puts on wicked events” says Marty Novak, Director of Operations. Palasad celebrates its 30th
anniversary this October. It has become a regular go-to for many to savour the delicious food and craft beverages along with the entertainment and fun. With their continued efforts to grow and better serve their guests, there is no doubt they will be planning for another exciting 30 years of business. Above: Mona Lisa painting on the outdoor north wall. Left: Juno Awards 2019
Page 6 Old East Villager September/October 2024
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