After achieving his long-term goal of opening a restaurant, Harmandeep Aujla has now opened a second in three years.
Aujla already runs the Pür and Simple location in Newmarket at 47 Harry Walker Pkwy S., and has now opened a second location of the breakfast and lunch chain in Aurora at 16055 Bayview Ave.
“We had people coming from Aurora, but now they come over here. They love it,” he said.
Aujla came to Canada from India as an international student, getting his degree as an automotive technician. He became a permanent resident and worked in the trucking industry for approximately seven years.
Aujla also previously worked as a manager at pizza chain, an experience he enjoyed and had been aspiring to return to.
“I was in trucking before, but I was in the morning hours. But these hours (at Pür and Simple) are from 7 to 3, it’s really good for family time,” he said.
“At these hours, I drop my kids off at school and then in the evening I can pick them up and take them to the games in the evening, it’s good for family time.”
Running the business is a family affair, too. Aujla and his wife, Priyanka, each manage a location of the breakfast chain.
The popular Quebecois breakfast chain Pür and Simple began in 2016 in Laval, and has since expanded to a number of franchises.
Aujla’s Pür and Simple in Newmarket was the chain’s 33rd location. Now with the Aurora location opening in Aurora, there are 40 Pur and Simples across Canada, with more planned, plus an expansion into the U.S.
Aujla said he'd received a warm reception from Aurorans since their April opening, with Mayor Tom Mrakas and councillors Harold Kim and Rachel Gilliland visiting to sample the restaurant's varied breakfast offerings.
“The town of Aurora is well managed, it’s nice to live, they take care of you. It’s not too busy and hopefully, a good education for the kids.”
