Mambo Pizza first opened in Nanaimo, in 1995, by two guys originally from Quebec. They arrived on Vancouver Island after travelling through Costa Rica and stumbling on a favourite local eatery there called Mambo Grill. Inspired by the experience, they opened Mambo Pizza here in town.
As pizza lovers, the next owners, Mimi Roy and Marc Boudreau (also French Canadians), bought the restaurant knowing it had a ton of potential. After a full redesign, with a focus on pizza delivery, and signature extra-large 18” pies, the business doubled sales numbers after just one year.
During this time, another Frenchman, Jean-Marc, found his way to Mambo’s after moving from Ontario. Jean-Marc was hoping to find work in the logging industry, but found the language barrier difficult and took on a job with Marc and Mimi at Mambo’s to pay the bills, not thinking it would become a long-term position. When the opportunity to take over the business presented itself, Jean-Marc and his wife took a chance and were handed the keys to Mambo Pizza on March 1, 2000.
Jean-Marc’s son, Marc (André) grew up with his dad assisting in the kitchen, and helping customers, learning the trade from his parents as he worked after school. Eventually, after honing his marketing skills as an adult, he bought the pizzeria in October 2012.
In summary, we are currently a second-generation family business, and there are three Marcs in the Mambo history of ownership if you were trying to keep count!
Check out the timeline of our memorabilia over the years, including that original handwritten flyer, saved with care by Jean-Marc. We’ve had so many loyal customers over the years, some with kids who’ve grown up eating with us! We celebrate you, our pizza connoisseurs, who may remember these milestones from years past. Browse at our timeline for a walk down memory lane a few good laughs. Do you have a Mambo story to share? Let us know on Facebook!
TIMELINE
You can’t get better pizza than Mambos! If you’re in Nanaimo and you want a bite to eat or want an attraction… Go here! You won’t be disappointed. Every slice taste like it’s made with pure love – My kryptonite.
What is the origin story of this logo? We really don’t know, but it works! We’re not going to mess with a good thing but we are going to sprinkle a bit of new flavour into the design for our 25th Anniversary.
Hungry yet? Check out our online menu or give us a call for delivery within Nanaimo at 1-250-753-6667.