Mr. Mom’s World Catering has helped transform the East Delta Hall into a new destination community events centre.
Mr. Mom (a.k.a. Russell Pohl) started renovations at the hall last June.
“It was renovations where we felt we could get this to the point where we could open it up to the community. That took about three months,” said Pohl. “We opened officially in September with Flashback as our first band and we limited the number of tickets just to get a good feel and pulse for things.”
Multi-talented Vancouver performer Bonnie Kilroe put on a sold-out, 190-seat show in October while bookings followed for weddings, funerals and other events for the remainder of 2019.
“We put in a lot of work, probably $80,000 of our own money, with the blessing of the board, who have been very gracious with us,” he said. “I love the board. I think they have the same vision as us and know we are a company with integrity. We put our money where our mouth is. We have been able to move quicker than I thought we would.”
Pohl said they have 80 per cent of time slots booked for this year and are at least 55 to 60 per cent booked for 2021.
“The catering and the venue facilities are doing very well,” he said. “There was that hope… so is it a pleasant surprise, yes, but we just knew what we could do and what this hall could look like. We are finished phase one, just starting phase two and then we have phase three. We want to be here 10 years minimum and the board is supportive, so by year five we are hoping we will be in full stride and use the hall for what it was intended to do – be a part of the community, be an event centre and want people to come, have a good time, have a good dinner, etc.”
Twenty years ago Mr. Mom opened up a small café in Vancouver, lovingly named Babushkas Café and Haberdashery, where trademark dishes included perogies, cabbage rolls and kolabassa.
Pohl has spent years cooking these traditional recipes adapted from his grandmother’s old cookbooks, journals and recipe boxes.
He has authored a series of cookbooks, which are available for sale at the hall, as well as several food items. Every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. he hosts a pop-up café serving fresh baked buns and hot borscht.
Pohl said all events currently scheduled at the hall have been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the protocols put in place by the City of Delta and health officials.
Their Tuesday pop-up cafe is still open however, as well as their delivery service and product sales.
You can find Mr. Mom's at the East Delta Hall, corner of 104th Street and Ladner Trunk Road. Call 604-782-7298 or see: mrmomsworldcathering.com for updates.
