Tony Wilson has a lot to celebrate on September 14.
Not only is he giving away free food at his three Domino’s locations to mark the 30th anniversary of his arrival in Prince George, he’s also planning a fourth location.
It’s quite an accomplishment for someone who thought he’d be fired from Domino’s Pizza after only two hours on the job.
It was January 1985. He was in his last year of high school in Saskatoon, and the local franchise hired him for deliveries. Domino’s had built its reputation on getting pizzas to customers’ door within 30 minutes. If it took longer, the pizza was free.
Tony, who admits has a horrible sense of direction, got lost on his first two deliveries. Two customers, two free pizzas.
Convinced he was going to be fired, he practiced his “I quit” speech on the drive back to the franchise. But the moment he walked through the door, the owner put her hand on his shoulder and told him not to worry. This happens all the time to new drivers.
Four years later he had worked his way up to general manager and wanted to open his own franchise. He went to the library and looked up census information for Western Canada. Prince George seemed the perfect spot.
It was a modest beginning. The only location he could afford was tucked in the back corner of a mall on 15th Ave. Eleven years later, in 2000 he moved the franchise to Ospika Blvd with a direct site line to the home of the Prince George Cougars. It was a game-changer.
In 2007, he opened his Hart Hwy location and in 2015 opened a third Domino’s across from Walmart. He now employs over 80 people year-round, some of whom have been with him for almost 20 years.
He boils down his success to one maxim: “The better you take care of your people, the better your business will be.”
Many of his employees work part-time, and Tony’s company always tries to accommodate their schedules working around school, sports, and family obligations. “Even if they only work for us a couple of days a week, we want them to work for us for years.”
He’s been loyal to Domino’s, too. “They’re at the head of the industry as far as developing new technology to make us better and more efficient,” he says.
And the company appreciates his loyalty. On Sept. 13, the owner of Domino’s Pizza of Canada is flying to Prince George to present a $100,000 cheque to B.C. Cancer’s Centre for the North in recognition of Tony’s 30 years in Prince George. Mike Schlater and his doctor know of the important work being done at the Prince George centre.
That’s not the only celebration. On Saturday, Sept. 14, Tony is also offering a selection of Domino’s favourite menu options for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in appreciation of 30 years of support from Prince George. There will be balloons, Domino’s tattoos for kids and draws for prizes.
