Jason Shi is a well-known figure in the Oswego community as the owner of Wonzones Calzones. Shi is also a SUNY Oswego alumni who is just as big a part of the university’s identity as Lake Ontario. Sean Evans, the host of the Hot Ones Youtube show even interviewed him last spring.
Last Wednesday, Jason was invited to the Entrepreneurial Exploration Q&A hosted by the Finance Management Club members, Thomas Brown and Jason Monte. As soon as you entered the event, the newest item on the Wonzones’ menu, OzBread, was available for attendees. This gave students the opportunity to try something new from the calzone that traditionally represents Wonzones.
“I ended up taking a community college for one semester and applied to Oswego,” Shi said. “I started at Oswego [in] 2001 and my English was really, really bad. Oswego took me and I’m still here.”
Shi describes how he initially applied to SUNY Albany but due to an intense language barrier, he was not accepted.
“I [only knew four] letters: A, B, C and D when coming to the US,” Shi said.
Even if he had the chance to do it over again, Shi would still choose Oswego. “In Oswego, we feel like a family here. I think we really have a close community where I know half the people in this room right now. So that’s the uniqueness. When you go to bigger schools, bigger colleges you feel lonely, you know? Don’t talk a lot.”
Shi’s first venture began in 2009 with a Chinese restaurant called Wonton House and Calzones. The restaurant was split between the two cuisines and the location was in between Bev’s Dairy Treats and Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In. The location was intended to target the student niche he was aiming for. Due to family problems, though, Shi was unable to run both culinary aspects and closed the Wonton House section in 2015. Before this closure, Shi relocated Wonzones to its current location in downtown Oswego.
“It was a huge success, but I realized that [we were] missing part of the downtown business where the kids are able to walk in,” Shi said. Wonzones’ closing hour fluctuates between 2 and 4 a.m. to cater to student nightlife.
According to Shi, inflation has changed the business landscape. “Wonzones were $5.25 and now [are like] $10,” Shi said. “That is a $5 change in ten years. So that is why the market always goes up in relation. Coke was $1.50, now it is, what, 2.53 bucks, for instance? So that is why when you look at numbers and business doesn’t grow 10-15% that year. You got a problem.”
Despite closing during COVID-19 for a year and a half, it was able to bounce back incredibly well after its employees encouraged the idea of increasing Wonzones’ social media presence. The company expanded with merchandising and new menu items.
“We really focus on the students and prioritize them,” Shi said. “It is not me that came up with [the Tom Cat]; the students really do mass customization. You tell me what you want, [and] I’ll make it.”
“We started Instagram two years ago, and I feel so much more engaged with the kids, I think we are doing better than ever before,” Shi said. “You can post something like we got some new stuff coming out and 20 minutes later, the kids come in. So that’s how powerful it gets. And the best part is it is free.”
