"Hanging by a thread": Edmonton cafe shares emotional plea with community for support
While restaurants seemingly come and go at a rapid rate, one Edmonton business has reached out to the local community for support as the owner’s dream is “hanging by a thread.”
Cafe on 54th, a locally owned eatery, took to Facebook to ask Edmontonians to visit the spot, which is “struggling” to keep its doors open.
“My mom owns a small diner called Cafe on 54th, and it’s been her pride and joy for as long as I can remember,” the post read.
While the eatery has received plenty of positive reviews and praise from customers for its food and affordable prices, staying open has been difficult.
“Never in a million years did we think we’d one day own it ourselves,” she added.
However, while things started off well, COVID hit, forcing the cafe to close, and challenges such as the rising cost of ingredients have plagued them ever since.
“We’re committed to serving the freshest ingredients, which means shopping for produce multiple times a week, but that’s getting harder as prices continue to climb. Despite the challenges, we refuse to cut corners on quality because that’s what makes our food stand out,” Jennifer continued.
“Time and time again, customers tell us how much they love our food, but because we’re tucked away in an industrial area, we don’t always get the foot traffic we’d hope for,” she explained.
Luckily, since the cafe posted on Facebook, Edmontonians have shared their support for the eatery and some declared themselves longtime customers.
“I worked on 54th for 30 years near your mom’s restaurant, and have been a customer that long,” one person commented.
Others were quick to pledge to visit, so hopefully, the cafe’s fortunes will turn around.
Cafe on 54th
Address: 9704 54th Avenue NW, Edmonton
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