This pop-up café housed in a ’70s trailer is turning into a diner and late-night cocktail bar

In September of 2024, Jess Potter and Maria Degiorgio got the keys to an old auto body shop on Geary Avenue with the hope of turning it into a diner and bar. They circled March of 2025 as their projected opening date. The pair, who have both worked in Toronto’s restaurant industry for decades, wouldn’t settle for creating anything less than their dream spot. But building it on a shoestring budget was slow going, and turning an old garage into a restaurant required unimaginable coordination. Winter turned to spring, then spring gave way to summer.

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But, instead of stewing in the frustration of setbacks (which are still ongoing), they improvised. Potter and Degiorgio bought a rainbow-bright 1970s trailer for $1,000, parked it in front of their building and christened it Bodega Geary, a takeout window selling coffee, homemade patties, pop tarts, hot dogs and ice cream floats. “With the trailer, we’ve been able to recoup about a quarter of the rent that the extra time has taken,” says Potter. “But there have been a lot of other bonuses from operating Bodega Geary. We’re able to be on site every day, getting to know the tradespeople and the wider neighbourhood around us.”

They’re optimistic that the forthcoming permanent space, to be named Geary Station, will finally open this coming January. Potter and Degiorgio plan to offer multiple menus: one for diner-style brunch, another for drinks at the bar in the back of the space, which will stay open until 2 a.m. They’re also adding a takeaway window at the side of the building to stay true to their pop-up beginnings, and they have a big surprise in store for kids—but details on that are strictly embargoed.

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Technically, the building that will one day soon house Geary Station could seat up to 140 diners, but they would rather keep much of that footprint open for breathing room and the odd dance party (inspired by Potter’s deep vinyl collection) with a DJ spinning from the mezzanine. “Whether guests are tapping their foot to some groovy background beats, swaying their hips while waiting for a coffee in the morning or embracing a full-body throw-down, we’ll be in full support,” says Potter. “We are all about good music, good drinks and good love.”