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Person / Organization
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Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19635
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (87 min.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (86 min., 51 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 26 2023. 00:00-12:02 Interview opens with introductions. Jenny Siormanolakis shares details about her parents Eugene and Europe Siormanola…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (87 min.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (86 min., 51 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis Location of Interview: Prado Cafe, 4321 Still Creek Dr., Burnaby Interview Date: July 26, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:26:60 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Ambient sound from cafe in background of interview
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 26 2023. 00:00-12:02 Interview opens with introductions. Jenny Siormanolakis shares details about her parents Eugene and Europe Siormanolakis who were both born in Greece and immigrated to Vancouver. Jenny provides details about the history of Romana Pizza restaurant including; the restaurant partners, the various locations, her father’s work ethics of running the restaurant and the staff who worked there. Jenny provides details about her father's life, his ancestral background and family relations which lead him to immigrate to Vancouver. Jenny shares childhood memories of helping out in her parents’ restaurant and later working there. 12:03 – 26:41 Jenny describes various food dishes that have been on the menu of Romana Pizza and Steak House and Romana Pizza, how they've evolved over time, how her father learned to cook traditional Greek food and develop his own recipes and where he sourced his restaurant food supplies. Jenny conveys how they used social media to advertise the restaurant, describes the election pizza poll that Romana Pizza held during the federal and provincial elections and a baby poll that was held at the restaurant to guess the weight of her and her sister’s babies. 26:42 – 31:47 Jenny talks about her marriage and recollects how she got married in a civil ceremony at Romana Pizza. Jenny talks about her family life while her family was running the restaurant, their decision to sell the restaurant and describes the last days of running the restaurant. 31:48 – 46:33 Jenny conveys the background story of her business “Granpa J’s”. Jenny describes how her uncle Jimmy Voulides, created his own seasoning salt product and after he died in 2003, Jenny and her sister Nora purchased the business. Jenny describes how they developed their business, created new products, their struggles and how they became successful. Jenny describes how their products have been developed from family recipes and recalls how the actor Ryan Reynold’s helped their products become even more successful overnight. 46:34 – 55:38 Jenny talks about different community festivals and events that she’s been involved with including; Greek Day on Broadway (Vancouver) and the Hats Off Day event in North Burnaby. Jenny shares the background history of Greek Day in Vancouver and information about other Greek community events. Jenny talks about the importance of bringing the community together and the importance of knowing the history of your ancestors and where they came from. 55:39 - 1:04:35 Jenny talks about her involvement with the Greek community newspaper “Gnome” and provides details about; the former creator and editor Kostas Karatsikis, the newspaper's content, it's importance in the Greek community and the distribution. Jenny describes some of the articles that she’s written for the Gnome newspaper. 1:04:36 - 1:14:12 Jenny describes some pivotal moments that occurred over the years at Romana Pizza including; placing second in the Vancouver Sun newspaper contest for Best Pizza (1986) and having members of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team frequent their restaurant. Jenny conveys how the restaurant benefited from having a website and using social media as a marketing tools. 1:14:13 - 1:22:42 Jenny talks about her involvement with Kolanki Group West, Euro Find foods and her passion for Greek food and other European foods. Jenny describes some traditional Greek recipes, family recipes, talks about marketing Grandpa J's products and reflects on the menu of Romana Pizza. 1:22:43 - 1:26:51 Jenny reflects on the role of the Greek community, how food plays a roll, the future of the Greek community in Vancouver and Burnaby and the importance of engaging the younger generation. In closing Jenny provides a quote from an article that she wrote “Forgive the mistakes of the past, let it go and realize that we are all equals...”.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Eugenia "Jenny" Siormanolakis is the daughter of Eugene and Europe Siormanolakis. Jenny’s father, Eugene Siormanolakis immigrated to Canada from Greece in the late 1960’s and her mother Europe Siormanolakis immigrated in 1973. In April 1973, her father and five partners opened the restaurant “Romana Pizza and Steak House” (later renamed "Romana Pizza") located at 4660 Hastings Street in the Burnaby Heights neighbourhood. Jenny and her sister Eleanora Iliakis spent much of their childhood in the family owned restaurant and also worked at the restaurant as they become older. Jenny’s parents continued to own and operate the restaurant until 2014 when they decided to retire from the business. In 2004, an opportunity arose for Jenny and her sister Eleanora to buy their recently deceased uncle’s business Grandpa J’s Seasoning Inc. They launched their business of “Grandpa J’s” seasoning first selling to local restaurants and eventually adapted their product line to include other Greek seasoning products which they developed from their own recipes. They expanded their clientele to include retail outlets and in 2020, they got a boost to their sales when actor Ryan Reynolds promoted their seasoing product "Vancity Grind" on Instagram. Since launching their business they have been featured in many culinary and business publications and were nominated in 2022 as finalists for Product of the Year by BC Food and Beverage. Jenny is extremely passionate about food, her Greek heritage and is an advocate for food security for children and seniors and mental health. Interviewer biography: James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
- Businesses
- Elections
- Foods
- Migration
- Occupations - Entrepreneurs
- Persons - Greek Canadians
- Names
- Gnome Publications
- Iliakis, Eleonara Siormanolakis
- Karatsikis, Kostas "George"
- Siormanolakis, Eugenia "Jenny"
- Nikolaidis, "Eleni"
- Nikolaidis, Stelios
- Romana Pizza
- Siormanolakis, Eugene
- Siormanolakis, Europe
- Voulides, Demetrios "Jimmy"
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Geographic Access
- Hastings Street
- Street Address
- 4660 Hastings Street
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.13
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis, [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis, [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0013_003.mp3MacDonald house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38662
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1930]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 14.5 x 20.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Angus and Margaret MacDonald house located at Oxford Street and Esmond Avenue. The MacDonald House is one of Burnaby’s landmark residential heritage buildings and was built in 1909 as part of the exclusive subdivision known as “Vancouver Heights.” The family came to Vancouver fro…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1930]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- North Burnaby Board of Trade subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 14.5 x 20.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 476-005
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2005-8
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Angus and Margaret MacDonald house located at Oxford Street and Esmond Avenue. The MacDonald House is one of Burnaby’s landmark residential heritage buildings and was built in 1909 as part of the exclusive subdivision known as “Vancouver Heights.” The family came to Vancouver from Nova Scotia in 1891 and Angus MacDonald, an electrical contractor, served as a Councillor for the City of Vancouver from 1904-1908. Upon his retirement from the B.C. Electric Railway Company, he moved to Burnaby and was a prominent resident serving his North Burnaby ‘Ward’ as a Burnaby Councillor between 1911 and 1916. MacDonald Street in Burnaby was named in his honour. This house which cost $7,000 to construct is reputed to have been the second house built in the Vancouver Heights subdivision. After the death of Margaret MacDonald in 1939 and Angus MacDonald in 1941, the MacDonald family sold the house in 1944 to local grocer John R. and Anne Roane. In 1956, the property was purchased by the late Dr. John Alex MacDonald and his wife Violet E. MacDonald.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Oxford Street
- Esmond Avenue
- Street Address
- 3814 Oxford Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
Overlynn
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36577
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1930]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : hand-tinted col. ; 9.5 x 14.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of Overlynn Mansion.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1930]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Action Line Housing Society subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : hand-tinted col. ; 9.5 x 14.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 301-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1992-42
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of Overlynn Mansion.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- McGill Street
- Street Address
- 3755 McGill Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
Overlynn house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38299
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1985
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Overlynn house at 3755 McGill Street, North Burnaby. This home was built by Charles J. Peter in 1909 and is now a protected heritage site in Burnaby.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1985
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 398-006
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Overlynn house at 3755 McGill Street, North Burnaby. This home was built by Charles J. Peter in 1909 and is now a protected heritage site in Burnaby.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- McGill Street
- Street Address
- 3755 McGill Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
Standard Oil
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35189
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Standard Oil staff, office and refinery at the foot of Queen's Avenue (later renamed Willingdon Avenue). Manager, Mr. Donaldson, is to left; his son, Tommy, is second left. This later became the site of Chevron's Stanovan plant at 4403 Eton Street.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-046
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Standard Oil staff, office and refinery at the foot of Queen's Avenue (later renamed Willingdon Avenue). Manager, Mr. Donaldson, is to left; his son, Tommy, is second left. This later became the site of Chevron's Stanovan plant at 4403 Eton Street.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Refineries
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Eton Street
- Street Address
- 4403 Eton Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
Standard Oil Company
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34565
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 27.2 x 35.0 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Standard Oil Company Stanovan Refinery process area, at the Burrard Inlet.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 27.2 x 35.0 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 052-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Standard Oil Company Stanovan Refinery process area, at the Burrard Inlet.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Refineries
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Eton Street
- Street Address
- 4403 Eton Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
Stanovan Plant
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35187
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1936] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men taken at the foot of Queens Avenue (now Willingdon Avenue) of a Standard Oil refinery commonly called Stanovan. This later became the site of Chevron's Stanovan plant at 4403 Eton Street.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1936] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-044
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men taken at the foot of Queens Avenue (now Willingdon Avenue) of a Standard Oil refinery commonly called Stanovan. This later became the site of Chevron's Stanovan plant at 4403 Eton Street.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Refineries
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Eton Street
- Street Address
- 4403 Eton Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
Stanovan Plant
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35188
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1936] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men taken at the foot of Queens Avenue (now Willingdon Avenue) of a Standard Oil refinery commonly called Stanovan. This later became the site of Chevron's Stanovan plant at 4403 Eton Street.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1936] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-045
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men taken at the foot of Queens Avenue (now Willingdon Avenue) of a Standard Oil refinery commonly called Stanovan. This later became the site of Chevron's Stanovan plant at 4403 Eton Street.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Refineries
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Eton Street
- Street Address
- 4403 Eton Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area