Allan Bacani and his wife Celine set out to leave their mark in the business world when they bought Lee’s Donuts shop on Granville Island in 2018.
Seven years later, they have turned the beloved mom-and-pop store into a business with five locations across Metro Vancouver and two more to open up soon in Richmond.
Along the way, their business has gained a loyal following and even been featured on a Netflix television show.
Allan is following in the footsteps of his entrepreneurial father, Armando, who founded Armando’s Finest Quality Meats over 40 years ago, also located in the Granville Island Market.
“There’s definitely pride in the fact that we’ve been able to continue what our parents came to this country for,” said Celine. “To continue that legacy.”
Allan had spent nine years working in his father’s butcher shop, learning the ins and outs of running a business.
“I’ve seen firsthand how he does it,” said Allan. “It’s not like we really knew how to do anything else but hustle.”
The couple bought the shop — where they had been longtime customers — from the original owner, Betty-Ann Lee, who had run the business with her late husband, Alan, since 1979.
Lee’s is known for its fluffy donuts in traditional flavours like honey dip, sugar-dusted and jelly-filled as well as rotating seasonal flavours.
Celine said they had to compete with other potential buyers to get the shop.
“We were very sincere in our approach, being of the community and knowing how special Granville Island is,” said Celine.
A year after the Bacari’s took over Lee’s, the business was featured on the first episode of the Netflix show Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner— featuring Seth Rogan and starring world-renowned restaurateur David Chang.
Allan says the couple wasn’t prepared for the amount of business they received after the episode but quickly acted to keep up.
“It created two lines: one line of people wanting to order donuts and then one line of people waiting for the donuts,” said Allan.
“It was pandemonium.”
That’s when the couple upgraded their equipment, which was mostly the original equipment from 1979, fine-tuning their systems and processes, enabling them to expand rapidly.
Allan says they are looking forward to further expansion as the company is opening up two more shops soon, one at the YVR International Airport and one in Steveston.
“I am proud that I’m able to essentially continue the story,” said Allan.
“If I’m able to inspire somebody who’s Filipino, or not. . . that’s good enough for me.”
Following the footsteps
Armando Bacani, Allan’s father, first immigrated to Vancouver in 1973.
Having grown up around a family butcher business in the Philippines, he wanted to start his own in his new home.
So he bought a store and a book on butchering and opened up Armando’s Finest Quality Meats in 1983, originally in the West End and later relocated to Granville Island.
“Cows in the Philippines have four legs, and I look around, and they still have four legs around here. I told myself it couldn’t be that difficult.”
Despite his optimism, he found he had to adapt to the Canadian market with its many different and precise cuts but says with persistence, he was able to grow a successful business.
Throughout, he says the support of the local Filipino community has meant a lot to him.
And he says he is proud of his son, “three times prouder” than he ever was of himself.
“The less you know, the less fear you have,” said Armando. “If you do it right, everything else will follow.”