“After being disconnected for two years, we realized that people were still lacking human connection. That’s why we created a new Ibiza-like atmosphere on Friday and Saturday nights here at Maro’s Bistro – filled with Cuban music, good food, freshly made drinks, and conversation.”
The popular Canadian-Lebanese-inspired restaurant rebranded as Maro’s Bistro in 2015, was faced with new challenges as a business, as hospitality was allowed to fully operate again in 2022.
Maro Al Chaama, owner of Maro’s Bistro in downtown Oakville, explains his continued success and surviving the past two years despite continual lockdowns and restrictions.
“What made Maro’s Bistro successful, before the pandemic was, Maro – myself. It’s about more than just the food. This is not an investment for living. What I've built here is a community. People come to see me. I am here all the time. It isn’t just about our good food. What people lack is human connection. That is where we succeeded.
At the beginning of COVID-19, I realized that the general norm was not going to work - it wasn’t enough.
On March 15, 2020, the world came to a stop. I remember the day vividly when my wife and I ate out for lunch on March 19 at a local restaurant.
We spent a lot for our lunch, with nothing left to take home, and then wondered how much money we could then spend for dinner.
Like everyone else, we wondered if we’d have enough money to eat and for how long?
We were like everyone else who thought about whether they’d have a job next week. This was an uncertain time.
It became clear what I needed to do.
Friday, March 20 I came into my restaurant and told my kitchen staff to increase portions, bring rice to the menu and with every meal, we were going to provide something on-the-house.
I’ll never forget this day.
By Friday, April 5, 2020, there was a lineup in front of my store. I realized then, the thing that defined Maro’s and where we were heading. I realized we’re not anymore just a place where people pick up dinner; we are an essential business – a staple.
I felt a responsibility to not only feed people but to also make sure that they were feeling comfortable when they ordered their food. I recognized that they wanted to pay the amount of money that would give them a sufficient portion for dinner with enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
People needed a place to come as a collective, even with health protocols in place. They wanted to check on you. They wanted to check on themselves. They needed someone to tell them that everything was going to be okay.
Weeks following, profits were decreasing, but business was growing. People were checking on me; I was checking on people. “How's your aunt, how's your uncle, your dad, your daughter?” We were building a community. The community came to Maro’s, and Maro’s stood behind the community.
After two years we found ourselves with new problems: the scarcity of and increased prices of food, as well as staffing shortages. The question of, what can we do to keep people coming to Maro’s, then arose – what do people need?
As community builders, we realized that people were still lacking connection, which is why we created this new nightlife vibe every Friday and Saturday night from 6 pm to 9:30 pm.
People, ages 25 to 65 come in and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere in our Moroccan-inspired, Soho-like setting. They hear Cuban, Jazzy, and Afro Music that lifts you up.
The patio is also set up like an oasis.
This is a place to get away and make a personal connection. Our tables are close together for easier conversation.
We have 25 now on staff. They’re high school and university students who also studied in isolation and are more than happy to ask you where you got those new kicks from, or to tell you how much they love those stunning earrings, and about how your day went.
We want to break down the barriers of those awkward exchanges and make you feel like someone cares.
Maro’s has created a space that invites the community in Oakville to escape for an evening without driving to Toronto.
135 Kerr Street
Oakville, ON
L6K 3A6