As a new immigrant to Canada, C. Douglas Cardoza worked for various companies and realized when he was in his early 30’s that there was a real need for a company to offer store fixtures and shop fitting services to small & medium sized retail and restaurant startups in Toronto. With that knowledge in hand, he started Cardoza Designers & Builders and opened his first office in the Warwick Hotel on Jarvis Street in Toronto, ON.
As the business grew he decided to hire a full-time Draftsperson (known as Designer today) who was a woman. Even though that may sound out of place today it wasn’t in its time, Douglas Cardoza was one of only a few employers in the 1960’s to hire a woman in this industry.
In 1965, he decided it was time to grow the company larger and hired on 3 sales representatives to represent the company at the company’s first ever Hostex Show which was held at the Royal York Hotel. It was a great success and one that helped Cardoza Designers & Builders become recognized within the Industry.
Douglas Cardoza continued to grow and develop the business into a full-service turnkey construction company serving the hospitality and retail industry. Being a one-stop shop was always his vision, to offer design, build, financing as well as assistance with leasing and lease negotiations. His measured approach was very successful in helping some of the major franchise brands develop into what they are today.
Looking to the future his vision is not lost on generations to come. By offering unequalled products & services and an open approach to meeting client’s expectations at every turn is, a way to honour his past and the perfect ingredients to carry the company into the future.