It’s hard to imagine now, but the little shop on Victoria Drive near Hastings that the Bosa’s originally called home is the epicenter of some very big things. All of the family businesses from construction to importing and exporting got their start right here in the back room. As with most immigrant experiences the business grew out of necessity. The cosmopolitan colour of present day Vancouver was certainly missing from Vancouver in the 1950’s when the Bosa brothers started their first business. If you wanted something from the old country, you’d better be prepared to either make it or import it yourself, and that’s just what the Bosa family did.

The market on Victoria Drive hasn’t changed much from it’s original incarnation. The narrow isles are still overflowing with delectable goodies from here and abroad and the back office and tiny warehouse seem little changed. Ah, but if the walls could talk, I’m sure they’d have much to say. Like a traditional Italian family, this remains grandma and grandpa’s house in a manner of speaking, the kids and grandkids have grown up to raise their own businesses, but the offspring haven’t strayed too far! You can find a relatively new Bosa food operation (2 years old) that’s a stone’s throw from First and Boundary on the Vancouver side. Also, the Bosa Construction side of the family calls home to 4555 Kingsway in Burnaby.

When shopping at Bosa, one can’t help but get the feeling of “one big happy family” . This feeling seems to emanate from courteous and knowledgeable staff right through too the customers themselves. No one seems in any great hurry to leave the store for shopping at Bosa is an experience to be savoured.

What’s great about the “newish” 1st. and Boundary location is the shear number of Italian goods available under one roof, and with the adjoining warehouse,what can’t be found in-store is probably not too far away. Everything thing from fabulous imported olive oils, cheeses, a large selection of sparkling waters, fresh pastas and baked goods.

The list is endless!

Upstairs you’ll find the “test kitchen” where new products are continually being developed and refined. As a result, a number of products that Bosa sells are in fact their own line, developed right here and now shipped to far off places. It seems fitting that things have come full circle and the once fledgeling import business that started out of necessity is now the much larger export business helping others grow new businesses.