At 82, Leroy (Bus) Earl Fuller is a legend in the restaurant trade, having come out of Montana as a young A&W franchisee and built the Earls casual-dining empire from a Western Canadian base. The Earls concept of drinking and dining has expanded to include brands such as Joey’s, Saltlik and Cactus Club (of which Mr. Fuller is part-owner). Except for a brief flurry 30 years ago, Mr. Fuller has never made a big splash in Eastern Canada – particularly in the meet-and mingle areas of Toronto’s financial district. That changes next month when he and his four sons open the first Earls in the King-Bay-York corridor (and 62nd in total) – the latest move in an Eastern offensive for the Vancouver company.
Why this thrust into Ontario now?