Terroni

That first Terroni on Queen West was modest, a small store selling southern Italian staples. To display their wares, the guys stacked olive oil and tomato cans on a skid and put it in the front window. In the beginning they made more money from a coin-operated foosball machine than from the store itself. Elena, Cosimo’s soon-to-be wife, would work the old cash register, the kind that had levers ...

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That first Terroni on Queen West was modest, a small store selling southern Italian staples. To display their wares, the guys stacked olive oil and tomato cans on a skid and put it in the front window. In the beginning they made more money from a coin-operated foosball machine than from the store itself. Elena, Cosimo’s soon-to-be wife, would work the old cash register, the kind that had levers and a crank. Her English was still new. One night a man walked in and asked, “Would you serve sex?” Elena was indignant: “We don’t do that here!” One of her co-workers had to explain that the man was simply asking if they had room for six.


Though the neighborhood was still shaky, customers began pouring in to get a good cappuccino and perhaps buy a thing or two. The store expanded to serve pizza, first adding stools, and then tables. Eventually, even a few local Italians came out in support.
Vince, Anna and Cosimo all recall the one signora who would come in every day, and in true Italian fashion, haggle over the price of a panino.