Councillor Fletcher presents commemorative scrolls to Ula’s Hair Salon and Moti Mahal Restaurant in recognition of five decades of service
Two landmark businesses in the Gerrard India Bazaar were recognized this week for their remarkable contributions to the neighbourhood and for operating at the same Gerrard Street East locations for over 50 years.
On Wednesday, July 22, Councillor Fletcher personally visited Ula’s Hair Salon and Moti Mahal Restaurant to present each business with a City of Toronto commemorative scroll honouring its longevity, resilience and service to the community.
The businesses recognized were:
Ula’s Hair Salon
1612 Gerrard Street East
Represented by Angela Christofis
Moti Mahal Restaurant
1422 Gerrard Street East
Represented by owner Gurjit Chadha
Ula’s Hair Salon: More Than 55 Years of Family and Community
Ula’s Hair Salon is one of the longest-running businesses on Gerrard Street East.
Angela Christofis arrived in Canada from Greece during the 1960s and began working as a hairdresser at the salon’s current location in 1971. She worked for several successive owners before taking over the business herself in 1985.
Over the years, Angela witnessed the neighbourhood evolve from a street lined with Italian barbershops, Jewish children’s clothing stores and the Kresge five-and-dime lunch counter into the diverse community that surrounds the Gerrard India Bazaar today.
Angela’s daughter, Ula, grew up around the salon but initially had no plans to become a hairdresser. She later changed her mind and joined the family business in 2008. The salon was eventually renamed Ula’s Hair Salon after she took over its operations.
For Angela and Ula, the business has always been about more than hair. It is a place built on family, relationships and community connection. Generations of customers continue to visit, often bringing their children and grandchildren to share memories and reconnect with the neighbourhood.
Their longevity is rooted in treating the salon as a people business and creating a welcoming place where customers feel like family.
Moti Mahal Restaurant: Helping Build Toronto’s Little India
Moti Mahal Restaurant has been serving the Gerrard India Bazaar community for five decades and played an important role in the development of the area now widely known as Toronto’s Little India.
The restaurant’s story began in 1975, when Gurjit Chadha and his wife, Davi, regularly visited Gerrard Street East to watch Indian films at the Naaz Theatre.
At the time, people travelled from across Ontario and from American cities including Buffalo and Rochester to watch movies and experience South Asian culture on Gerrard Street. Seeing only a small number of Indian restaurants in the area, Gurjit and Davi recognized an opportunity.
With no restaurant experience and only $5,000, they secured a location through a family friend and began building the business. In late 1976, they signed the lease for 1422 Gerrard Street East and started renovating the restaurant.
The family worked exceptionally long hours to establish Moti Mahal. As the restaurant grew in popularity, they brought experienced cooks from India to help meet demand.
Davi developed her cooking skills from a young age in India. Her father regularly sent recipes and encouraged the family never to compromise on ingredients or quality. Over time, the restaurant developed its own distinctive recipes for dishes including malai kofta, channa, chicken malai and butter chicken.
Many loyal customers say the flavours have remained consistent since the restaurant first opened.
Moti Mahal has welcomed generations of families from Toronto, across Ontario and the United States. Its customer base has also evolved, reflecting the diversity of the city and the growing appreciation for Indian cuisine.
The restaurant’s success is a testament to hard work, quality food and a commitment to preserving authentic flavours while welcoming everyone into the community.
Celebrating the Businesses That Built the Neighbourhood
Ula’s Hair Salon and Moti Mahal Restaurant have witnessed decades of change along Gerrard Street East. Their stories reflect the determination of small-business owners who invested in their neighbourhoods, built relationships with customers and helped create the identity of the Gerrard India Bazaar.
Their continued presence serves as a reminder that local businesses are more than places to shop, eat or receive services. They are gathering places, community anchors and an important part of Toronto’s cultural history.
The Gerrard India Bazaar BIA congratulates Angela Christofis, Ula, Gurjit Chadha and their families on this meaningful recognition and thanks Councillor Fletcher and the City of Toronto for celebrating their contributions.
