The story of John Law.

1976 — A new country, a new name.

John Law arrived in Canada in 1976, at the age of ten, from Vietnam. His family settled in Winnipeg, where his parents — despite the barriers immigrants so often face — opened a restaurant. That example of quiet resilience would become the blueprint for everything he built later.

He met his future wife and business partner, Jolie Nguyen, at the same Winnipeg high school, though their partnership would begin after graduation. Together they would go on to build an empire quietly, methodically, one business at a time.

1990s — The only Dell reseller in Canada.

His first business wasn't food. It was technology. With a U-Haul and an instinct for opportunity, John and Jolie left Winnipeg — first for London, Ontario, then Thunder Bay, where they'd live for years. At flea markets on weekends, they sold and serviced computers.

"John was so ambitious and smart. He figured out a way to be the only Dell Computer reseller in Canada."

At a time when Dell sold exclusively online, John found his way in. It was a masterclass in spotting an angle no one else had seen. When the market shifted around 2010, it was time for a new chapter.

2010 — The foundation stone.

In 2010, John took on his first Swiss Chalet franchise in Sudbury — a city he'd called home since 1984. It was a natural fit: his parents' restaurant background, a proven brand, a community he already knew. Few could have guessed what would follow.

What followed was a pattern. Find something worth doing. Do it exceptionally. Then do it again somewhere new. Within a few years the portfolio had grown to include both Sudbury Swiss Chalets, Montana's, Kelsey's, Cora Breakfast, Overtime, and more.

2017 — An original idea.

On September 25, 2017, Lot 88 Steakhouse & Bar opened at 1070 The Kingsway. The concept — patrons cooking their own steak on a 650°F lava rock at the table — came from John's travels through Europe. It was entirely his.

Only Certified Angus Beef (eight per cent of all beef qualifies). Wagyu. An Asian-inspired menu alongside traditional steakhouse selections. Today, about ninety per cent of guests choose the rock grill experience. The concept has since opened in North Bay, Winnipeg, Waterloo, Orillia, Thunder Bay, Burlington, and Timmins.

"Together we immerse ourselves in the Sudbury culinary culture, whether it is with an independent or franchise restaurant."

2018–24 — Beyond the kitchen.

The enterprise diversified beyond restaurants. Happy Life Cannabis — the first dispensary to open outside Ontario's original lottery system — has grown to seven Northern Ontario locations, and North Bay Mazda returned to local ownership under the Law brothers in 2022.

The trades portfolio followed: Northern Climate, Nauss Plumbing, Windows Unlimited, Flooring & More Superstore — serving Greater Sudbury's homes and businesses.

In May 2024, John viewed a vacant long-term care facility on Tuesday, put in an offer Wednesday, and had it accepted Friday. The two-year conversion into a 120-unit Best Western Plus hotel is a $15 million project, deliberately built with local tradespeople rather than imported Toronto crews.

2025+ — A foundation for the next chapter.

John is establishing a charitable foundation funded by an endowment from the enterprise's restaurant profits. It is, in his own words, his measure of success.

"Sudbury made me what I am today — so I want to give it back to the community. My success is to one day set up a charity foundation."

A Ward 11 councillor once summed up the pace at a ribbon-cutting: "It seems like he is opening something new every six months." Karen Bass, who manages Flooring & More Superstore, describes him differently: "John flies under the radar. When you meet John, he is quiet, not flashy." Both things are true.