Friends bonding in business

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/02/2015 (3345 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A lot of hard work has paid off for two friends who are excited to see the early success of their newest venture. Doener Grill Express in Steinbach opened just over a month ago at 237 Lumber Avenue.

When the restaurant was operating in Mitchell, the owners were approached with an opportunity to move to a new building in downtown Steinbach. That is when Doug Penner and Mark Budala found out the restaurant was up for sale.

“Through a lot of talking and figuring things out, we decided this would be a good opportunity for us to go into business together,” said Budala. “We’ve been friends for a long time and it was time for something new.”

The pair embarked on this new adventure with a lot of enthusiasm that never seemed to wane. Despite the many different steps that had to be taken, hurdles to overcome, decisions to be made, Penner and Budala have kept their friendship intact. They would be quick to say their friendship has become stronger through this process.

Taking one step at a time and turning to family for support, they are now seeing the fruits of their labour as customers line up for the unique food they offer.

The entrepreneurs spent many long days planning and scheduling the various trades to come into the building and bring their vision to reality. It was no easy task to get the drawings perfected and the kitchen set up.

There was also the task of learning more about the business and the food. Penner spent a couple of months at Doener in Mitchell, learning as much as he could before the doors were closed to make the move. He has also taken food courses in Winnipeg and Arizona.

As for the menu, not much has changed. except for the addition of a few items like crepes, fries and poutine. Those additions were made in an effort to provide choices that could appeal to more age groups

“A lot of people love the doeners,” said Budala. “That’s the main food here but some kids don’t want to eat doeners or sandwiches so we have the fries and crepes, things that kids would like.”

The recipes are the same as before, made by many of the same employees who worked at the Mitchell location.

Three fresh soups are made in house, providing a balance for people looking to enjoy a quick and fresh meal. The dessert menu is not lacking in variety nor in flavour, giving customers a lot to choose from for evening coffee and dessert.

Budala and Penner are passionate about their business venture, passionate about the food and passionate about supporting the local economy. During the renovation process, they hired local trades to take care of that project. Now that the restaurant is open, they try to bring in local ingredients.

“Our meat is coming from Earl’s Meat Market, our pasta and soup noodles is all coming from Nature’s Pasta, and our buns from Bake World,” said Budala.