Return of the Revolving Restaurant

Prairie 360 was the last tenant of the three story revolving restaurant at the top of the Fort Garry Place apartments behind the Fort Garry Hotel. In 2020, Covid pretty much killed any business that was buffet style. There was other aspects of the business but any restaurant requiring an elevator to get it during a pandemic likely would have struggled. And so the revolving stopped.

A few other things happened as well. The owner of Edison properties Miriam Bergen died in 2022. And while the nearly 30 properties and 200 workers continued, ownership was gifted to Winnipeg Foundation in the largest charitable gift of its kind in Canadian history. Fort Garry Place and the restaurant above it are still owned by Winnipeg Foundation.

Edison manages itself but having a stable ownership has been helpful. Investing in the properties rather than living off the $500 million ownership is important. The restaurant needs mechanical and other work to get the wheel rolling. What it didn't have was an operator that was experienced with the logistics and experience for a very large restaurant. That changed when the former executive chef of Prairie 360 came to look at some of the kitchen items to support his restaurants that he owns presently. 

Alfonso Maury, the former chef, now owns the Argentine specialty food La Pampa Empanadas Gourmet stores that makes a variety of empanadas. He was the longtime owner of Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria in the Exchange till he sold last year. The last thing he and his wife were looking for was a new restaurant. He was only looking for equipment for his gourmet shops.

The meeting of the Edison people and Maury was fortuitous. Edison was willing to invest in facility upgrades and Maury was willing to manage and new enterprise. And Dos Pampas Skyline took root. The revolving restaurant that was first built in 1988 ran operations till 2008 but a further lease could not be agreed to. It sat idle till 2013 when Prairie 360 took over and ran till 2020 when Covid hammered it.

Maury envisages a steakhouse and an Argentina influence elsewhere in the menu. Winnipeggers are familiar with that cuisine as Corrientes has been a fixture since 2012.

The excitement from some radio stations, TV and print media to the story is a much needed shot in the arm for the downtown after a number of restaurants have closed. No time was set for a re-opening. Edison probably has some work to prep the site but given the public enthusiasm, it is unlikely they will keep the public waiting forever.

Rudy's Downtown Closes

The Manitoba Hydro building has faced security issues over the past year. People have not been secure in the building and outside the building. Rudy's with a patio basically needs a police officer right there on the street. Anyone walking up, on the patio or in the restaurant itself could be subject to problems. Food deliveries, employees arriving early or late now worry about random assaults. This isn't just rhetoric but actual facts on the ground.

Sympathetic as people are, we have have a drug and homeless problem that is accelerating and as evening get cold, the fires start. More arson, more trees cut down and more possibilities of people getting hurt and dying. Where are the councillors and MLAs? No where. Even the more progressive Reddit Winnipeg is becoming alarmed but the rapid increase. Not too many solutions being offered except more progressive councillors getting elected. 

That is an October thing. The problem worsens by the day. And when school starts along with school daycares, it will be harder to ignore school intrusions and unsafe disposal of needles and other things. If it sounds apocalyptic, it is because it is.

If a restaurant like Rudy's can survive in the largest government corporation HQ close to the entertainment district. Does it get so bad that Hydro tells workers to work from home or just outright say they are moving? I don't think that will happen but with transit schedules awful and buses unsafe, who wants to be stabbed, bitten or abandoned at a stop? One again, look at reaction on Facebook and Reddit and commentary on media. People are worried about security and not just downtown.

Rudy's could have closed because of changing habits but the fact that they expressed concern in January that security was not good should bring a chill to local and provincial government. Many councillors are seeking the exit. Lots of their assistants are running. It is still too early to tell what their policies are. As for ones currently running, by September we might be in full failure downtown.

For every good story and there are many in the city, we are seeing a literal collapse of addiction, homelessness and violence. Businesses and communities are begging for it to be stopped. Even with treatment centers, safe injection sites, soup kitchens and overnight beds, there are people who won't accept those. Moreover, some of the treatment centers can't treat the complex needs of some. It often ends with police for violent incidents.

The police are apparently being more visible but the people who are being managed just move to other areas. The West End is being for a permanent police presence. What will it take? Will it take encampments at City Hall or the Legislature grounds to do a full court press? Certainly the loss of businesses doesn't seem to have an affect. Clearly telling voters sense the elected officials are too afraid to address what everyone is seeing out there.

Perhaps another restaurant opens where Rudy's is. But will Hydro just begin to lock itself up and give up on commercial space due to danger? This is not a good situation at all.

GRETA Pub Coming to Former Garry Street Keg

If anyone had been interested, GRETA had announced they were coming to Winnipeg at the end of June. They didn't say where though. The retro arcade pub with locations in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver is run by a former Manitoban who says he has had Winnipeg on his list for a while.

The Keg closed the Garry Street Keg in June to make way for their very large location at Donald and St. Mary. The old Keg built into a converted Hudson's Bay auto garage from 1911 was the first location of the national chain in Manitoba. Originally The Keg n' Cleaver, the restaurant kept the brick interior and in 1975 became famous for the lounge became an attraction for the young and poor crowd. This reputation continued for much of its early years.

As the menu changed and prices went up, The Keg attracted lawyers from up and down Broadway and Portage and Main. It was also a place where gay community people felt they could go for lunch and dinner near venues close by. Fort Garry Hotel patrons who skip across the street as well to enjoy steak dinners. For Jets fans though, the restaurant was just a bit too small and a just a bit too far from the arena. 

The new gigantic Keg will open close to Jets season start. At St. Mary and Donald, it is kitty corner to the arena and success. The permanent boarding up the old location that is iconic, attractive and has a patio seemed impossible. However, the terrible demise of the former Earl's, now former Boujee on Main, with three arsons and imminent demolition shows that problem with downtown properties. They need security and active use to keep them safe.

GRETA will have the patio active by Labour Day and the pub active by November of 2026. The vibe is retro but should appeal from Generation Z to Baby Boomers. However, it is the Gen Z crowd that is bringing back interactive retro. This could be their place. The street food menu of smash burgers and the like could attract a wider crowd. Young lawyers don't just love big steaks. Attracting a younger crowd than the partners of law firms might be the tonic the downtown needs.

With all the bad news we have seen downtown, items like this indicate that businesses are still seeing opportunity to invest and attract customers.

Downtown Tavern United Closes 2026

The sudden closure of Tavern United ahead of the weekend caught a few people by surprise. To others, it might be that the lease has expired and there have been a number of restaurant groups looking to come back to the area. First is Moxies who have wanted back downtown ever since True North used their space to expand other areas of their business. There has been talk over the last while that The Pint might be open to a return downtown with the expansion of the entertainment district?

One thing is certain. The space with its rooftop lounge will have something located in it before the start of the next season of hockey. With the The Keg well under construction and The Chop coming along with a luxury hotel in Sutton Place, the former Tavern site is too valuable to sit empty.

Some of the gaps in restaurants which some Jets fans have been complaining about in recent years are about to be filled up. Creating an entertainment district is never easy. It can happen organically or be manufactured. In Winnipeg, True North Square is manufactured in cooperation with the city and the province. Tavern was originally part of that beginning and, by and large, been a successful part of the entertainment in the area.

It hasn't been announced but some have suggested the Tavern could simply be relocating to a Ledohowski owned property on Donald Street. Some have said the Metropolitan or the Woolworth building that the family owns are possible locations. Either would be fine. It will be curious to see if there is any announcement on this.

Still, bottom line is that once a place has a commercial kitchen, water, sewer and proper electrical, it almost always comes back as a restaurant. This is true of the Garry Street Keg as well. When they open the new location and close the old one, it is undoubtedly going to be a new restaurant. The old Tavern site is too good good to see empty for long.

New Restaurant Tahini's Opens in St. James

Crestview Place over the last few years had a façade upgrade. Many places along West Portage Avenue have seen some sprucing up. Gaps that have been in place for some time, even years, are starting to fill up. As mentioned here in other posts, we have seen some infill apartments, service industries like dentist and doctor offices, new convenience stores and restaurants.

McGavin Bread's old location has been empty a long time but that seems to be at an end. A former University Manitoba graduate is taking his London, Ontario restaurant idea across Canada and the U.S. with the first Winnipeg location in St. James. The Mediterranean/Jamaican fusion restaurant with a little bit of Asian tossed in features Shawarma and ramen and all sorts of other dishes.

At 1,400 square feet at Cavalier and Portage Avenue, it should have enough traffic and large residential base to attract people looking for variety in their restaurants in the area. The 70 store location across Canada, can expect at least one other location in Winnipeg across town in the next months. Each store employs 15 to 20 people.

Restaurants are a tough business but it looks the city has been on a sustained build up following the pandemic. The diversity of the palate reminds me of the late 1960s/1970s with the explosion of Portuguese, Greek and Italian places that opened up. Many still operate today although a generation or two is retiring so we are seeing more Middle East, Mediterranean, African and Caribbean opening up.

Winnipeg is growing and the next five years should indicate how we fit into the world. There has always been appreciation of new offerings in food and it is a primary way for many new to Canada to become entrepreneurs. The vitality of the economy depends very strongly on job creation of small and medium sized businesses. Internal trade is where Canada needs to gain greatest growth.

Taking over a space that has been empty nearly 10 years in a refurbished property with a new restaurant niche is very exciting.

Arby's and Pur & Simple Come to Kildonan's Peguis Promenade in 2027

Arby's said they would be expanding again in Winnipeg. The one Arby's now is at Seasons of Tuxedo. The new Arby's will be adjacent to the one that closed in Kildonan Place in a small mall on Reenders Driver. When Arby's retreated from the Canadian market for a while there were fans in Manitoba and Ontario who mourned its loss and lobbied for its return. When a location opened at Seasons, there were lineups for weeks.

Shindico has indicated that the first tenants will be in place before the end of 2027. Aside from Arby's, the Quebec-based Pur and Simple breakfast place will also be moving in. Breakfasts are proving to be a strength in the fast food industry lately. Pur and Simple has already found success with their Seasons location so one off Regent is likely to do well.

The road construction in the area seemed to last years as did Kildonan Place. Even now the final touches on a multi-year changes to the mall are reaching completion. The collapse of so many department stores and other retailers plus the post Covid world has re-shaped the commercial and residential market. They have found they need each other in proximity for success.

I suspect Arby's as well as Pur and Simple are looking for other locations in the city. The Costco locations off Main and the Downs are both in need of local restaurants as more and more housing reaches completion in those areas. Winnipeg's population has gone up and some stores and restaurants are closing due to shifting tastes, retirements or changes in where traffic goes. 

The economy is showing mixed signals but the heavy duty infrastructure is helping with employment. Were it is not for the trade issues south of the border, Canada might be in a better place with inflation and growth. Some developments which have been very slow out the gate seem to be ready to go market this year and next. For the Kildonan area, this will likely help people stick to their area for shopping and restaurants. Quite a few from the neighbourhood went all the way across town for their roast beef fix.

Garwood Grill for Sale (Update...not for sale)

Update, talking to Anna. No sale, no agent and no offers per se. They are still around to serve the community.

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It came up in a Facebook post on real estate agent Brad Gross's page that the Garwood Grill on Pembina Highway was for sale. It was also posted on Reddit as well. It has been decades that it has been run by a Greek family but it looks like they've reached a time where there is no one left to run it in the future. And so it is with Greek family owned places. They have a first and often a second generation to run and operate things. There is often not a third. In many cases, the third generation is established in very different industries...at the encouragement of their parents. If there are children at all. In many cases, Greek families have gotten smaller and smaller to the point that no one left in the family is there to take over.

It is unknown what circumstances are there for Garwood Grill. Anna and her parents ran it successfully all these years. It was in the 1980s that my family first went to the restaurant. At first it was just occasional weekends or birthdays or general celebrations. My parents then went for breakfast every weekend and had a warm relationship with Anna and the serving staff. When I left for Japan, it was part of their routine to go to breakfast and write letters to me while there.

For working people for the city especially, Garwood was the place for a hearty breakfast or lunch. The variety of the menu items meant you could find something for everyone from pizza to steak and from breakfast to dinner. Prices and portions are what you might expect from a Greek family restaurant. They're great.

Winnipeg owes a lot to our Greek community. And Winnipeg Greeks gave a lot back to the world from Nia Vardalas with My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Family restaurants are absolutely needed to counterbalance franchises. Nothing wrong with franchises but many don't do all day menus or variety or have servers who have been doing the jobs for years.

Garwood Grill has been known to rent their facility too to groups that often get overlooked. This is not something you might get from a chain restaurant. I don't think any community lasts without gathering places. The more personal connection, the better.

Garwood Grill included all the kitchen and items for operations. However, it also included the property, an additional property as well as a four bedroom apartment above. It can be sure there will be a high level of interest in owning this. With luck, it will retain much of what made it a treasured Greek restaurant. On at least a few occasions new owners didn't get that aspect and the restaurant failed. 

As for Anna and your family, you have been the best.

Oakwood Cafe on South Osborne to Permanently Close

The Oakwood has been an institution along south Osborne since the 1980s. From a brief time it was Samantha's but has been the Oakwood ever since. It hasn't always been perfect. In 40 years, sometimes the minimum wage increases have put the restaurant in a pinch and they have publicly said so. 

It is a very tough business but the restaurant has benefitted from a stellar location. It is across from the Safeway, leisure center and library in a neighbourhood that has had a real uptick in the last ten years. But alas, as restaurant owners get older, the desire to pass on the place grows and sometimes there is just no one to take over. 

I have no idea if there was an attempt to sell the restaurant. It may be the landlord already had someone in mind for the spot as well. This happens more often than people realize. Various landlords in Winnipeg are shuffling tenants. Retail shopping areas including St. Vital Shopping Centre are being bought and sold. In some cases tenants are finding they are not renewed.

Even for restaurateurs who own the land they are on sometimes find it better to close and the land re-purposed under new owners. Examples abound this last few years. Whatever the reason, a number of people are mourning the loss of the family restaurant they went for breakfasts and family get togethers. A number of people remembered their favourite dining options.

Family restaurants are often the glue in terms of gathering spots in a community. Not everyone wants a fast food choice or pizza chain. Sometimes you want a table for several and diverse meal choices. The closing of the Oakwood Cafe is the end of an era.

Underdogs Restaurant Parking Becomes Paid Parking

Okay, it's not Underdog's parking lot. It isn't actually clear who owns the parking lot at 207 Thompson Drive between the strip mall on Portage Avenue and Prairie Spirit United Church but it has become a paid parking area. The 79 spots now require a cellphone app from Indigo Neo and the price is $2 a hour. A Sunday football marathon could set you back $10 if you are at the restaurant. Church goers just have to register in the church to get parking redeemed.

I am not sure there are any other paid parking lots in the St. James area except Grace Hospital. It is worth noting that the City of Winnipeg has been in discussions about how to extend paid street parking to city streets as well as a variety of expanded hours and surge pricing. This has landed with a thud but any paid parking plan usually falls flat. The city has very low rates annually for overnight parking in the city on the street versus private lots. Many park their cars on the street for unlimited times. It would come as a shock if paid parking spread from not just private lots but to public streets but this is likely something we might see more of.

Winnipeg is very much a car city. It remains to be seen if paid parking spreads and will affect consumer habits. Will only restaurants that own their parking remain? Will small businesses that lose street parking or have surge charge prices on it survive? Will it create a new public transit system or increased density? This is possible but given the timeline it took to get one transit corridor done and the fallout of changing the bus system, we can't rely on buses to get people out of their cars.  In some cases, the buses are just not there and never will be.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. As for me, I am close enough to walk.

New Drive-Thru Concept McDonald's Coming to Kenaston

It is not the first drive-thru only from McDonald's in the city. That honour goes to Pembina Highway which also became the first 24 hour location in Canada. This however will be the first drive-thru that is heavily automated as well as have storage lockers for delivery people. There are presently two other location in North America like the one proposed for Winnipeg. One is in Fort Worth and one is in Los Angeles.

The location at Kenaston at Grant in the Real Canadian Superstore parking lot right at the corner that turns east down Grant. It will require some zoning changes to operate longer hours but Councillors don't seem alarmed by the proposal. The spot being looked at is where the garden centre has usually gone. I have no idea if it will be relocate to another area for seasonal sales.

Social media has been mixed on the possible traffic to the area, an American restaurant expanding, quality of the food and a few other things. Some thought it would be helpful for pick-ups in River Heights and Tuxedo. Others thought it would be good for deliveries. Those people who hated McDonald's are not about to change their minds. Those that hate traffic will continue to hate it.  There is nothing wrong with having an opinion about it.

River Heights is a food and grocery desert as is a Tuxedo. So much is beyond walking distance for as little as coffee. And certainly there are hardly any options for 24 hour locations for the thousands working shift work in parts of the city. Aside from 7/Eleven which are not drive-thru, where do the people go for those super early morning family hockey travels, late night flights and the like?

I am not entirely sure how traffic flow will be inside the Superstore parking lot. As some people pointed out, it is up to the grocery store to figure out. As long as the traffic doesn't line up on the public road, city zoning people seem satisfied. And the McDonald's itself is on the farthest corner away from apartments. 

The delivery system has multiple competitors such as Skip and Uber among others. People in Winnipeg are avid fans but some companies like McDonald's might find it more convenient to have a place such as the new Kenaston location where drivers pick up orders at lockers where items are slid through to the kitchen to the lockers that open to the parking lot. It is very popular in the United States. This can make other McDonald's less crowded with drivers waiting at the counter.

The local franchise owner in Winnipeg says the new drive-thru will be about 1,800+ square feet. He also mentioned 80 new workers but it is unclear if that was across all his locations or just Kenaston. With Kapyong under development the next few years, this is probably not the last restaurant or drive-thru to go up. It may not even be the last McDonald's.

What Restaurants Should Locate by Portage Avenue Costco?

Costco is now open along Portage Avenue. Even as the doors opened and work continued in different places, apartment construction continues. The rumours on restaurants locating right by the highway have jumped since last week. There are some diners further in Headingley such as Nick's Inn and Headingley Grill. Denny's operates on many days 24 hours. The Gates just across the river has fine dining. However, with Costco now open, the demand for drive-thru and casual dining in a growing commercial and residential area is rising.

There are many more stores coming to the area as well as apartment buildings. The plan is for at least 6 or 7 roadside restaurants and drive-thrus. Nothing has been announced yet but several places have been mentioned as potentials. Arby's comes up all the time as a potential tenant. It is no secret they want a second location in the city after the success at Seasons of Tuxedo. There has been talk of a return of Swiss Chalet to the site for a third return visit to the city. I'm not sure why this chain would think the results would be any different than the last times they were here.

Montana's has been mentioned as a possibility. It is highly likely that McDonald's will want to build out at the site given that their closest restaurant is inside Walmart Unicity. This is true of all the big chains. They will look at the Westport site because of the shopping, recreation and new housing going up. In 2026, expect the hear a flurry of announcements now that Costco has gone up.

To review some of the restaurants I've heard from clients that may look at kicking the tires of locating at Westport are:

Arby's

McDonald's

Applebee's/IHOP

Pancake House

Starbucks

Smitty's

My understanding is that breakfast/lunch places are highly sought after because of Costco's hours and to reach the commuters coming down the Trans-Canada Highway.

Tim Horton's is already on site and has been there for years. Robin's is possible but they have been struggling for years to come back. Some local coffee places that are possible are.

Thom Bargen

Empty Cup

The word is that a steakhouse/casual dining place is being looked for. Original Joe's is nearby already so that is unlikely. Some of the ones mentioned are:

Joeys

Moxies

Earls

Lot 88

Olive Garden

Frankie's

Chipotle

Stella's

A lot of people have had some swing for the fences hopes for restaurants such as:

Cheesecake Factory

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Texas Roadhouse

These restaurants don't have locations in Canada presently so seems unlikely they come now.

There are many in Winnipeg who probably have hopes of an American chain coming to the city that we don't have. It is possible. We have had a few come that eventually closed such as Earl of Sandwich, Royal Fork and Longhorn Steakhouse Winnipeg. Some like Famous Dave's just keep rolling along.

It is possible that some independent local restaurants opens on the site too.

One thing that is clear is that the huge amount of traffic is going to attract a lot of restaurants and retail to the area.

The Restaurants in Marcello's Old Hydro Location

Covid hurt businesses associated with office workers. The Manitoba Hydro building with between 1800-1900 employees went on remote work and even today, still has workers at home part of the week. It can be pretty stark when people are not at headquarters. In better times, the first floor which includes a bank, Rudy's Restaurant and up till the pandemic, Marcello's Market and Deli.

The empty streets in downtown hurt a lot of businesses. Marcello's was not able to survive in such a large space. The Ottawa-based restaurant group still operates in Winnipeg but in a smaller space in the Richardson Concourse. The Hydro site was a huge space of 3,500 square feet and in need of a customer base. Returning workers represented that boost but it has been a chicken and the egg thing. Restaurants won't return if there are customers and employees are reluctant to go back to the office if there are no amenities.

Manitoba's Hydro's move to the downtown might have been as a result of Glen Murray's exacting a price for the sale of Winnipeg Hydro, but the company has used the space in their building for political debates, fashion shows, banking services and food halls and restaurants. The empty Marcello's spot was an impediment to serving Hydro employees and the public at large.

With that mind, Hydro sought out established downtown Winnipeg businesses with the draw being a food hall with 60 seats and a large potential customer base. To that end, Hydro reached out to Baglesmith which agreed to relocate from their other downtown location. The owner of Bagelsmith also brought their other restaurants Super Slice to the space. In the past days, people have been trying out their celebrity pizzas including one named after Betty White.

The other two restaurants added to the food hall is a Asian place called the Greenish and a coffee spot Colosimo Coffee Roasters. The food hall will be collectively known as Café 360. For the various owners operating in the space, they are no stranger to downtown, the common comment they have meant that there is a sense of security being in the building. The Manitoba Hydro building, like the food hall in True North Square, have security guards.

The arsons and protection rackets have had businesses rattled. Add to that the changes in bus routing, businesses are looking for safer options. Locating inside a building with a shared space, security and hours that end at 4 pm probably is very attractive. The complete makeover of Portage Place next door will bring a raft of potential customers when the Pam Am Clinic is complete in 2026. It is estimated that nearly 7000 people a day will be using the clinic's services.

A lot of downtown projects will be complete in 2026 and security is playing a strong role in their success. No one does anything in True North Square because even loitering will bring out security to escort you away. Mess around in the arena or the convention centre and that will result in a permanent ban from every sports event, concert or convention. The power of that punishment can have a lasting effect. Real consequences for violent or disturbing acts. It happens in every mall in the city. 

So while those inside the new Café 360 will feel safe, more will have to happen outside the building for people to feel secure. Restaurants every week are being targeted for arsons. We have never seen such a concerted effort to burn them down. There is likely video of a particular suspect involved in multiple locations but any place that doesn't have onsite security, is in jeopardy. The Manitoba Hydro building has such security in it and around it and any attempts of harm there are likely to have a response in seconds. 

Café 160 will be a welcome addition to Portage Avenue and will attract people from beyond Manitoba Hydro. The only way to bring vitality and safety back to the area is one building at a time and one street at a time. The places downtown that people feel most secure are the ones that draw many people and security is clearly visible. Food halls have proven to be a favourite for many. 

The First Chi Chi's Re-Opens in Minnesota

In the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, Chi Chis has returned with old faves and newer menu items. After closing their last location in 2004, they are back. At one time Winnipeg's Polo Park Chi-Chi's was the largest in Canada and one of the biggest in the 200 store chain with 400 seats. A series of ownership changes and a food poisoning incident in the U.S. caused the company to collapse.

Crowdfunding has helped get the company back into 2025 and more stores are coming. Rumour has been all late summer that something is coming for Winnipeg in 2026. A location near Polo Park might make less sense than when they closed due to the Blue Bombers and Jets leaving the area. Having said that Red Lobster and Olive Garden have had amazing success near the mall.

It will likely be up to the Canadian franchisor where in Winnipeg will be best for success right off the bat. Perhaps we see an announcement in the new year.

Maximes Closing in 2025

A long time restaurant in St. Vital along St. Mary's, it has been described as fine dining that your parents loved. Reports all this week is that it will be closing in two weeks and that the property has been sold.

The restaurant has been owned by the Bekios family since 1984. George Bekios passed away in 2024 leaving his two daughters to run the place. Like many Greek owned restaurants, it comes down to no one left in the family to run it for years to come when everyone is near retirement or the founding member passes it away.

St. Mary's is a valuable piece of real estate and it is not surprising a buyer has been found. No word on what the new business might be.

This comes on the heels of another business in a different field closing. Croft Music, after a 110 year in the music industry is closing. Violins by Anton will continue in the same spot on Henderson Highway. A differed type of business than Croft's but related. It will be by appointment only.

There has been an uptick in the last year of business retirements and some locations have turned into hot commodities. Retail sales have been up, restaurants have found growth in breakfasts. Were it not for tariffs, Canada might be even better positioned for growth. As it is. we will have to see some innovation as one generation hands over business to the next generation.

Rumours of Stores Coming to Headingley Costco Site

The Costco is already having an impact along Portage Avenue in terms of retail renovations and filling in some of the empty spaces along the street. The landlords with property sitting idle might get some calls of interest. Still, renovations to update tired spots is accelerating. Safeway and Walmart have renovated. Uncertain if other grocers such as Sobeys on Portage have renovated but most stores may require a re-fresh to compete. As mentioned, Costco 's imminent arrival will change traffic patterns and attract other retailers as well as residential.

This is an important thing to note about the Headingley Costco compared to the others in the city. The west Winnipeg one will have so much housing on site. It is only now, decades later, that apartments are going up on McGillivary are within walking distance of the Kenaston store. The problem is that there will never be enough housing around that store unless they decide to take over something like Rona property or build up vertically. And that wouldn't be instant.

Headingley has already seen a lot of residential building quite separate from the Westport Festival where the Costco is to reside. As seen in the plan above, there are a ton of apartments within walking distance of the store. Mixed developments are what every retail area tries to achieve now. The vulnerability of big box and regular malls to major retail closures has become all too apparent. The United States has found that even having a grocery store is no recipe for success for a mall since so many grocers are closing locations.

The rumours about what will join the Costco have been flying in the last weeks. Are announcements coming soon? The clues can possibly be seen once again in the plan above. There are two large retail spots that look suspiciously like a Red River Co-Op or a Save on Foods. Neither of these two have stores in the west part of the city. It is unlikely both grocers move in but expect an announcement of at least one of them coming. The other rumour is that now that Rona has rationalized their Lowe's Home Improvement stores into their national group and closed stores literally across the street from one another, they are looking to build a Rona in west Winnipeg. It could be that Home Depot might try to usurp Rona in their plans but they might be happy with the amount of stores they have now.

There is at least one hotel listed as going up. Rumour it was some kind of Hilton but  given the proximity to the iceplex, Assiniboia Downs, Red River Ex and the city of Winnipeg. A hotel, as opposed to a motel, is very much needed in the west part of the city. Large hockey tournaments consistently fill every motel along the strip. Two other motels on that stretch of Portage are usually jammed with hockey parents. It is not inconceivable that more hotels might be added to the plan given the attractions nearby.

Lots of restaurants were being added. It appears McDonald's to have a place by the roadside. They have a location at Walmart nearby but the nearest drive-thru is at least several minutes down Portage. There has also been talk of everything from an Earls to a Moxie's to a Joeys locating on the site. As far as new restaurants to the city, rumour has been Jersey's Mike's has been looking at the site. Also on the list has been an additional city location for Freddie's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. In addition Shake Shack, Fazoli's and Chick-fil-A have all been mentioned as possible. Not on the list at all is Cheesecake Factory which has no Canadian expansion plans.

As far as other retail, it is likely some sort of sports store is likely although SportChek closed down just down the street. However, one story going around is they didn't want to sign a new lease if they were interested in the site near Costco. 

Another interesting rumour has been that a major gym will build a large fitness center in the shopping area. Whether this is Goodlife, Altea or a re-located Shapes or maybe something else entirely. 

Coscto's completion is expected this year so it is very likely a flurry of announcements comes soon on what joins it. It is worth noting that much like Seasons of Tuxedo, it could take a decade or more to fill all the space. Given the rumours though, it appears there is huge interest in the site.

Old Robin's on Portage to Become KFC

For the last several years the restaurants west of Moray Street have been closing. First it was the German restaurant Gasthaus Gutenberg around 2016 and then Marigold next at about 2018. The same year Robin's Donuts across the street closed. Pizza Land was the last to close in2024 but has since been replaced by Triple Pizza. However, Pizza Land's iconic sign came down.

From about 2018 to now, there have been quite a few changes from Moray where Singleton's, Assiniboine Credit Union, HUB Insurance all closed. The mall there is full leased now with Winnipeg Insurance, Flamingo Cannabis, Healing Hands Pharmacy and Little Viet restaurant. The parking lot can be quite busy now.

Next door to that Pet 101 and Crystal Clear Water Centre closed in 2024 and has been replaced by Inspire Massage Therapy which refurbished the building. Next to that Gasthaus restaurant was closes and signs went up in 2023 for GotoDoctor,ca and St. George's Medical Centre. The doctor's office are close to being occupied and were delayed due the amount of hazardous material and other work needing to be done.  The karate business and apartments above have remained unchanged as as the leather and repair business across the street. The long time pizza tenant Pizza Land behind it closed in 2023 and was replaced by Triple Pizzeria shortly after.

After Marigold closed around 2018, it was replaced Elite/Elevate which did a fine job up restoring the two floor building into a sports injury and training facility. in 2024, the Birchwood Animal Hospital was spruced up on the outside completing the block. In 2025, once the doctor's offices are fully restored and refurbished, the entire black might be full leased and upgraded. 

The only spot west of Moray on south Portage that has waiting for for development is the former Robin's. It has been empty pretty much from 2018. For a time, Starbucks was planning on taking over but the pandemic pretty much ended the company's plans all over the world. Many Starbucks locations remain shuttered even today, including ones in Chapters bookstores.

There used to be many Robin's Donuts in Winnipeg but now it is down to a handful. The company is embarking on a re-building but from Winnipeg's perspective, it looks like a slow retreat.  The empty Robin's on Portage sitting empty for years has been difficult to ignore.

In recent weeks construction crews have been repairing the road, garbage enclosure and other aspects of the lot. The owner of the property till now seemed unwilling to repair the parking lot as it began to cave in. The only thing that changed on the property is when Conservative election signs went up.

Word has it though that the new tenant of the space will be a Kentucky Fried Chicken. On Portage Avenue, the closest KFC would be the one at Unicity which shares space with Taco Bell. The next would be a KFC in the food court at Polo Park and the next in the West End. It is unclear of the Moray KFC will share with Taco Bell. Undoubtedly, the franchise is attracted to the drive-thru which could be the only one available along Portage in St. James. 

The Portage and Moray has picked up after several years in the doldrums. Continuing west down Portage still has some gaps to fill heading west but the significant building on housing units in Headingley and, of course, the Costco. It is very likely there will be an uptick in business along Portage as well as higher density in housing. And while there is room for retail, the latest additions have been in things like medical and health services and residential. For the commuter though, it is the drive-thru that rules and a KFC near the Charleswood bridge is likely to be popular.

Jimmy Johns Coming to Winnipeg

Jimmy Johns, a U.S. submarine sandwich maker, has begun construction on two locations in Winnipeg. The restaurant has not even been in Canada a year. The first location opened in November 2024 in the greater Toronto area. Winnipeg has seen a number of U.S. and international restaurants open in the city in the last few years. There seems an insatiable desire to see even more.

In some ways Winnipeg is fortunate because of its combination of homegrown restaurants as well as international franchises. Salisbury House, Stella's and Pony Coral are all homegrown. We have had many Canadian chains locate in the city as well. It may seem like every day type of things for those in the city but visitors from all over the province marvel at the places they can go to eat such as The Keg or Olive Garden. We take it for granted and pine for what we see south of the border or in larger provinces.

In terms of submarine sandwiches, the only place that served them aside from Italian family restaurants in the 1960s where they went by the name hero or hoagie sandwich. By 1968, Canada had Mr. Submarine and it spread across the country. Today, Winnipeg has only one. Through the 1970s and 1980s, Mr. Sub had the market to themselves. The juggernaut of Subway came in 1986 to St. John's Newfoundland and today has 3000 restaurants in Canada today. Quiznos came soon after and in recent years Firehouse. Rumour is Jersey Mike's is coming next.

Jimmy John's has been around in the U.S. since 1983 and has been been on the wish list for some Winnipeggers for years. The St. James locations in a former Urban Barn is just off Ellice. The first Jollibee's in Canada is across from it. The other location being built on Pembina in a closed Macao Imperial Tea location. 

Macao Imperials Tea has one other location still in the city on McPhillips so should be fine. Urban Barn has two other locations in the city and a warehouse just outside the city. Both Canadian stores have locations across the country and seem to be doing fine.

It should be important to note that while Jimmy John's is American, the franchise owner is Canadian and their employees are Canadian and their supplies are Canadian. It is hard to be purist in all things Canadian. For many years Tim Horton's was American owned and even now has shareholders all over. Coffee beans are certainly not Canadian although I don't know too many Canadians about to drop their favourite hot drink.

Jimmy John's will likely be well received when they open and I expect they will emphasize the Canadian aspect of their supply chain. It is something that we are seeing more and more in Canada. It will take a long time for it to ever reach Subway location numbers in Winnipeg. At present there are 73 listed which makes it the most of any Canadian city per capita.

Applebee's and IHOP Combine on Regent

The first Applebee's in Canada was built in 1994 on Pembina Highway. The restaurant was first started in Illinois in 1980 and continues to operate in around the world. It is part of the same company that owns International House of Pancakes IHOP which has been in Manitoba this last few years at Seasons Tuxedo. There have been quite a few restaurant chains in North America that have struggled.

That is not to say that they have struggled in Canada or for that matter in Winnipeg. Red Lobster and Olive Garden do very well in Winnipeg based on location and the fact that there are not dozens of them in Winnipeg. In fact, there is only one Red Lobster left in the city and two Olive Gardens. And so it is with Applebee's. There are two left in areas where their location has lent to their success.

The two Applebee's are at the Grant Park Mall and near the Kildonan Place. The one at Grant Park benefits from a dearth of restaurants in the River Heights area and the the move theatre and book store in the mall. The one in Transcona benefits from the huge amount of traffic along Regent. Could the city support more Applebee's? Possibly. But location is very important. Pembina Highway has had some of the biggest restaurant groups in Canada on it. The Keg, Earls, Swiss Chalet. All of them have closed because traffic, parking and customer base did not match what these popular places needed to continue.

International House of Pancake IHOP came to Seasons Tuxedo in 2017. Until that time, Winnipeg has been home to its own Pancake House for decades and still is. The Tuxedo development has continued for 13 years building up and has seen many new shops and restaurants. However, not to be outdone Kildonan Place and Regent have had their fair share of new and different places compared to other parts of the city.

To that end, the Applebee's location on Reenders Drive by the mall will be converted to Canada's first Applebee's/IHOP location. The new concept is to ensure longer hours for the restaurant with the ever popular breakfast menu. Whereas an IHOP alone might not have the later day crowd of an Applebee's.

The concept started in Texas in March and Winnipeg will be its first Canadian unveiling. It isn't the first time we have seen combos in Canada. When Wendy's owned Tim Horton's, there were some shared sites like on Kenaston. That one still exists even though it is Burger King and Tim Horton's that are part of the same company now. Taco Bell and KFC are frequent partners as they are owed together.

There will be many eyes on this combo to see if it works. But it certainly should see an expansion of hours for this Transcona location and a menu that appeals to those who may want ribs and pancakes.

The Return of Arby's 2025

When Arby's closed their Winnipeg locations it was heartbreaking for some of their fans. Covid closures took out the last location at Kildonan Mall. We weren't alone in closures. Arby's closed everything in Toronto. Mexico lost all their Arby's years ago and is only now getting them back. Suffice to say that there are huge fans of Arby's in Canada and beyond. 

The restaurant has been open three months now at Season Tuxedo and show no sign of slowing down. Spokesmen for Arby's suggested there were more locations coming. There are still holes to fill along major commercial streets in Winnipeg and around malls. Polo Park comes to mind. Around Kildonan as well.

We'll never see a Hardee's in Canada because the courts have ruled it is too close to Harvey's in name. Hardee's is a competitor in the roast beef sandwiches for Arby's but will never come to the country so long as Harvey's exists. There are a few roast beef places such as Carl Jr's across the land, the nearest being in Regina, but for the time being Arby's it is.

It is hard to find any oxygen when McDonald's has 41 locations alone in Winnipeg. By comparison, there are 14 Burger King's in Winnipeg. If it is any consolation Toronto only has 13. Either way you slice it, it makes for a lot of burger joint. It could be one of the most common foods at restaurants. And yes, that is over chicken and pizza places as well.

It is very likely we will be seeing more diverse restaurants and drive-thrus coming. Certainly there will more Arby's coming to Winnipeg.

 

Pony Corral to Close at Grant Park

Pony Corral Grant Park has had a long run of 28 years but the restaurant that took over the spot of the former Bombay Bicycle Club in 1997 could not get improvements on their leased property to continued on. The classic cars shows that ran on the property will move to their owned and operated location on Nairn. They also have their location on Pembina Highway.

For restaurant starved people of River Heights and Fort Rouge and for those wishing for a bite before or after a movie, for those wanting live music or to enjoy the classic cars on Sunday Cruise Nights, the Pony was the place to go. The Ginakes family have always staked a huge contributing effort into wrestling, classic cars and live music and it has been bestowed a love that comes from people gathering, eating and enjoying each other's company.

When the Pony Coral first moved into the corner restaurant, it shared the lot with Zellers. Then Walmart. Then Zellers again. Then Target. Then Goodlife Fitness and Canadian Tire. It seemed the only consistent thing was the Pony Coral. The Grant Park Mall has gone through a lot of changes.

The last time there was a major renovation of the restaurant was under the Bombay Bicycle Club in 1984 when they added space and re-did the interior and exterior. Before that it was Barnacle Pete's, a seafood restaurant. Even back then, the restaurant needed plumbing and sewer work and apparently still does. Today, it is need of roof repairs.

From 2000 to 2020, Pony Corral operated a restaurant downtown at 444 St. Marys Avenue in a former Keg location. The intention was to build on Donald Street but Covid put a damper on that. Oddly enough, it is The Keg that is building a Donald Street location.

There will be many people sad to see Pony Corral leave the Grant Park area. There will certainly be concern about how Sunday Cruise Night will be affected. Portage Avenue has been the site of cars cruising and while Grant Park is not super closer, it is closer than Pembina or Nairn locations. However, given the issues of cruising on Portage in recent years, perhaps a change will be good.

The restaurant business has always been a tough one but there have been a lot of closings so far. Rent is too high in some cases, restaurants are downsizing and patrons are not going out as late as they did pre-Covid. Even big national chains are still not back to full lunch service as were five years ago.

It is hard to imagine a restaurant that served so much of the community in a variety of ways besides besides serving food. They will be missed for sure. And it will be curious what comes next. It could be that only a national group like Earls or Joeys can afford that corner.