Construction delays for their upcoming restaurant couldn’t stop Jess Potter and Maria Degiorgio from serving up food and drink to Geary Avenue’s buzzing crowd. The restaurant hasn’t even opened yet, but they’ve already built a community with the help of a revitalized trailer.
“We’ve made friendships this summer that will last a lifetime,” says Potter. “Meeting people and feeling the rhythm of the neighbourhood has been the best part.”
That neighbourhood includes a thriving arts scene that is set against an industrial backdrop to earn Davenport a mention in TimeOut Magazine’s 39 coolest neighbourhoods in the world in 2025. That vibrancy is exactly what called to Potter and Degiorgio to bring their decades of hospitality experience to turn an old auto body shop into a restaurant at 222 Geary Avenue
“Geary is a dynamic and trade-built neighbourhood. It’s full of creatives and makers and doers,” says Potter. “When I think about it, and all the different ages, stages, and crafts, the buildings themselves are made of solid, real materials, and high ceilings. There are industrial buildings with outdoor spaces, room that feels like you can spread your wings a bit which is a big rarity in this town and it’s a real grace. We have always been attracted to this part of Toronto.”
The duo took over the lease in September 2024, hoping to bring their vision to life by March 2025. When that timeline fell through and the May long weekend arrived, they bought a used 1971 Corsair trailer for $1,000 and, in less than two weeks, repainted it, installed fridges and refreshed outdoor furniture to create Bodega Geary.
“We were desperate to start a conversation on the street with our neighbours and just be there,” says Potter. “Working with our hands to create the bodega really brought us so much joy and a much-needed break from the stresses (of the restaurant construction).”
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Open seven days a week from “sun-up to sundown,” the trailer serves a range of snack items that solidifies its role as a bodega. You’ll find homemade beef and veggie patties, homemade pop-tarts, chip salads and more odds and ends, including the popular “taco cigars”—a roll similar to a taquito. As for drinks, you’ll find coffees, freshly squeezed lemonade, a specialty iced tea and ice cream floats.
The bodega quickly proved to be a welcome addition to the neighbourhood when it joined the Geary Block Party this September, hosting all-day DJs, an all-you-can-eat pancake spread, a Caesar bar and more as part of the community-wide celebration. The next block party is already on the calendar for December 6
The all-day spot will centre around a brunch-focused menu, with full breakfasts and hearty burritos in the morning giving way to sandwiches, salads and chicken wings later in the day. Signature dishes will include house-made beignets and Potter’s mother’s ham recipe, complete with her secret mustard sauce.
Inside, Potter explains, the 140-seat restaurant will feature a DJ mezzanine overlooking the main-floor bar, showcasing Potter’s extensive vinyl collection. As a nod to the trailer that started it all, a takeout window will open onto the side alley, connecting directly to the kitchen.
Though it’s not yet official, Potter is hopeful that December will finally mark the moment they can open the doors and welcome guests to Geary Station.
“We’re making sure to do things right because this is really our forever home. We’re putting everything into it and we will be here serving coffee, beer, food, cocktails, laughs, music, hugs, moments and memories for the next fifteen years at least,” says Potter. “So this is everything. We’re trying to take our time to do it right.”
