The Delly has finally re-opened its doors, this time in the new SUB.
At noon on Friday Rahim Rajan, owner of the Delly, and his staff opened the doors to cheers and applause from a group of students assembled outside in an impromptu ceremony.
“We were so focussed on just opening the doors, we didn’t realize a crowd had gathered around us and that people were waiting,” said Rajan. “It was one of those moments you don’t forget, because we were just blown away by the absolute, incredible response.”
The Delly is one of the last business to make the move over from the old SUB. The original outlet closed its doors on June 26, 2015.
“Part of why we took a little bit longer was as we thought through every part of the build-out process that we were making sure we were going to build a better Delly for tomorrow,” Rajan said. “So that took its time.”
Gurj Dhaliwal, head chef at the Delly, is excited for the opening. “We want to be a grown-up Delly, a 2.0 version of it,” he said of the new location. “We’re trying to do something different in that way. We’re introducing a lot of local vendors who maybe haven’t had exposure [on campus].”
At the end of the day, students should expect the same old Delly they know and love, with an upbeat twist. “Even though it’s a new look ... we’ve always prided ourselves on the fact that we’re their home away from home on campus,” said Rajan. “They get a home-cooked meal, they get fresh food, they get a friendly smile, they get treated with warmth, just like they’re a member of the family.”
With regards to prices, Rajan did note rising food costs in Vancouver, but said that they “scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed to make sure [they] were really fair about that.”
“The Delly has been an incredible neighbour of the AMS for almost two decades now and we are very excited for the opening of their beautiful new facilities,” said Ava Nasiri, AMS VP Administration, in an emailed statement. “I’m sure everyone on campus has been missing the Friday afternoon discounts at the Delly and will be pleased to have them back.”
Rajan and Dhaliwal are extremely proud of what the Delly has been on campus, and what it will continue to be. “Our sign says feeding campus life since 1976,” said Rajan. “We take it very seriously. For us it’s not just a pleasure, it’s a responsibility for the future.”