Last call for restaurant

It has been a long five years since Wayne and Laverne Sannes bought a Main Street restaurant in Moose Jaw.
That was the plan when they bought the Western Pizza franchise in 1985 that was converted to Wayne and Laverne's. Five years was the length of the lease on the building.
On Saturday, Wayne and Laverne's Pizza and Steak House will end a 23-year run through three renovations and almost two generations of family diners.
"Five years became 23," Wayne said. "We're both in pretty good health and decided now is the right time to retire."
Moose Jaw has been a fabulous place, Laverne said, noting they were able to trust babysitting of their three-and six-year-old children to strangers.
"It's been a great place to raise kids. We love this town and we're planning to stay."
Shortly after taking over the operation, hungry lines often formed by 5 p.m., at times standing an hour to get in.
The couple responded with expansion and, in 1994, with a major renovation.
"We had a good architect in Ark Yee," he said. "He had a vision that brought us into the 21st century."
Their business experienced the roller coaster economy of Moose Jaw and they worked to improve it. Active in the downtown business district, Wayne was a director of the spa from inception to its sale to a real estate trust.
The success of Wayne and Laverne's in attracting customers has been through hard work, good staff and consistency, she said. "Wayne and I have worked this business very closely," with her in the front end and Wayne in the back end.
"We knew exactly what was happening every day and we hired excellent staff," she said. They still have employees who have been there from 15 to 23 years.
Many of the staff is like family, making them reluctant to walk away, she said
The new operator is interviewing the 20 staff members. "He'd be silly not to hire them. Where else are you going to get good staff?"
The Sannes said putting their name on the business was also important.
"When you put your name on the business it says people can expect a certain something," Wayne said. "Personal service that people have come to expect is unlike what you get perhaps in national franchises where you have managers who don't take the same care we do."
A frequent customer compliment has been consistency "that people knew every time the food was good," she said.
Reaction to the closing on Saturday has been amazing, said Laverne. "People ask, 'Where am I going to go now?'"
The buffet has played a big role since the 1994 expansion.
"We've attracted sports teams and large groups because of the buffet," he said. "You can feed a large number of people in a short period of time. Teams loved the carbs required for high energy. We're sad the buffet will be gone."

Both will miss all the customers and the relationships that grew over the years.
Wayne is hoping to promote a new Christian radio format in Moose Jaw, do mission work or perhaps corporate buying.
They will hold an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday with cake and coffee for customers and employees.

Ron Walter can be reached at 691-1264.