Wayne & Laverne’s was more than just another local restaurant. Those who remember eating there from 1985 until its doors closed in 2008 often look back with fond memory and now, 39 years after the first step was taken, former owner Wayne Sannes offered a reflection on his and his wife’s career in Moose Jaw.

Where it all began

“The story goes back to 1985,” he began. At the time, Sannes worked for Centennial Packers Ltd. but always dreamt of working for himself.

“I had worked for other people for many years since I was in my early teens,” he recalled. “I finally got to the point that if I wanted to work as hard as I was for other people, I’d wait until there was an opportunity to do something for myself.”

Moose Jaw was part of Sannes’ Centennial Packers territory so he was already familiar with the city. This was also how he met Nick and George Spiromolias who ran a Western Pizza franchise on Main Street.

“I was calling on them… but they were not happy to be in Moose Jaw,” he said. By contrast, Sannes saw a fantastic opportunity in the city.

Sannes couldn’t afford to purchase the restaurant himself, so he reached out to a good friend and chartered accountant named Glen Budd. After running the numbers, Budd agreed to partner with Sannes and his wife Laverne. Along with a silent partner, the group formed Walyn Restaurants Limited and purchased the Western Pizza location on Aug. 5, 1985.

Wayne & Laverne’s

“Right from day one, the community liked what we were doing and supported us,” he said. “It was not uncommon for us to do 100 deliveries on a Friday night.”

This, he said, came at a time when major franchises including Pizza Hut, Dominoes, and Family Pizza had not yet been established in Moose Jaw. When these chains started to appear over the next decade, Sannes and his wife had to act.

In 1996, Sannes spoke with Jim Bonis, the Western Pizza franchise owner and asked for autonomy. Bonis agreed to the request and the restaurant was fully renovated and the fondly remembered Italian buffet was introduced. Many still remember the popular homemade turkey soup.

The restaurant was initially renamed to “Wayne & Laverne’s Western Pizza and Steakhouse,” but at the request of his customers, the final name became “Wayne & Laverne’s Pizza and Steakhouse” or — as it was affectionately known by customers — simply “Wayne & Laverne’s.”

No story about Wayne & Laverne’s would be complete without mentioning its longest serving employee, Ann Wiles. Originally waitressing for George and Nick, Sannes promoted her to the position of manager when she agreed to keep working with the new owners.

“She was sort of the stability behind the front end of the restaurant,” he said. “She was always there.”

When modern smoking bylaws were first introduced, Wayne & Laverne’s was the second restaurant in Moose Jaw to implement the controversial — yet forward thinking — policy only after Tim Horton’s.

“(When) you look back on it… it was very memorable for us because we were pioneers in the industry in many ways,” he said.

Community outreach

Wayne and Laverne were always community-minded individuals and they made a noteworthy impact during their 35 years in Moose Jaw.

Sannes was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, served on the Crime Stoppers board, and was partly behind the establishment of the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa during his time on its planning board.

After 23 years of hard work and dedication, the Sannes felt it was the right time to retire and the restaurant closed its doors on Mar. 30, 2008. “It was a tough choice, but it was time,” he recalled.

Retirement

Not long after retirement, Sannes was approached by a Saskatoon-based company called Prairie Meats. This company asked if he could help develop its market share in southern Saskatchewan, and — supported by his earlier experience at Centennial Meats — he agreed to what would become a 12-year project.

“I loved what I did,” he said about his time working for Prairie Meats. “I went out and I helped people and they appreciated my help, so it did not seem like work.”

Sannes described this experience as a great way “to ease into retirement,” and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 his transition into retirement was completed.

Shortly after the pandemic, Wayne and Laverne moved to Lacombe, Alta., to be closer to their two children, three grandchildren, and the international airports in Calgary and Edmonton. Today, they winter in Nuevo Vallarta and the happily retired couple spends much of their time travelling and seeing the world.

“Wayne & Laverne’s… was an institution in Moose Jaw,” Sannes concluded. “It is and was well respected and remains an iconic part of the history of Moose Jaw. I’m proud to say that Wayne and Laverne were an integral part of a lot of things that happened in Moose Jaw… (and in) making the city grow.”

Wayne & Laverne’s was formerly located at 622 Main Street North, which is the current location of Big Wings restaurant across from the Victory Church.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express