THUNDER BAY — A long-time prominent member of the business community in Westfort is hanging up his hat.
Gary Pulice is retiring after working for 51 years, including the last 15 as owner of the Paulucci's Wayland Bar & Grill.
The popular family-operated bar and eatery will be taken over by new owners in January 2025.
"I'm gonna miss my customers, who became good friends," he said in an interview Wednesday.
Pulice's family operated a confectionary across the street before purchasing the Wayland on Jan.18, 2009.
"It was run down, but we knew the potential in the neighbourhood was great...The whole family was here working, fixing things up and getting things running."
Earlier this year, he said, he was approached about selling the business.
"I just thought about it, and then my daughter said she was going to be retiring. And she runs the whole show, she's a manager type. She and my son didn't want to take over the business."
Pulice had numerous conversations with the prospective buyers before agreeing to a deal.
"I'm not going to sell to somebody who I don't want here. We put our heart and soul into this. I want to be able to walk out with my head high and not feel guilty about anything."
He said he was reassured to hear the new owners, who are local residents, aren't planning changes except for improvements to the kitchen area, and that they hope to retain the existing staff.
Pulice believes that will be welcome news to his loyal customers.
"You could read people, and they hate change, whether it's good or bad. Their general thing is 'Is this gonna be be different? Is everything gonna change?' And I reassured them. The only thing we're doing is changing the guards."
Pulice has no firm plans for his retirement, other than to enjoy more time at the family camp with his grandchildren, and possibly take a short trip.
The new owners, brothers Jamie and Dillon Baratta, already own two Norteños Taqueria restaurants in Thunder Bay.
The family has its own roots in Westfort.
"We appreciate the Wayland and what it is...We appreciate all the work that the Pauluccis have done. We just wanna kind of continue with that," Jamie Baratta said. "We're going to keep the Wayland rocking."
