Downtown Edmonton restaurants rally together amidst endless closures
There have been a significant number of closures in Downtown Edmonton this year alone; we wanted to find out what exactly has been going on for this all to come to a head.
From Wilfred’s to Zymo, these restaurant closures in Edmonton’s core continue to grow and grow.
One thing that is undeniable about Downtown Edmonton is its construction. With a number of developments in the works this summer, the downtown core is continuously becoming less and less accessible. Some of these restaurants have attributed part of their closing to a lack of foot traffic, and, truthfully, it makes perfect sense considering all of the roads, sidewalks, and entire streets that are actively in progress.
Padmanadi is one of the restaurants standing strong in downtown that has also recognized these problems of running a business in the area. The team has also raised some other points to consider.
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“Like many businesses, we’ve experienced increasing safety concerns, break-ins, rising operating costs, years of construction, and the gradual loss of the everyday foot traffic that once kept downtown thriving,” reads Padmanadi’s post on Instagram. “None of these challenges alone are enough to close a business, but together, they become what GRETA’s owner so accurately described as ‘death by a thousand cuts.'”
The Butternut Tree was another restaurant name that offered their condolences, noting the community impact a restaurant closing has.
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Even Patricia Street Deli made a post about supporting local, giving out their sympathies to the closed businesses and families behind them.
What all three restaurants that have spoken out about the closures have in common is one thing: we need to have hope.
In these posts, there are pleas to continue to support local. These restaurants, businesses, and families want to stay in Edmonton and continue uplifting the city that has brought so much joy to many and will keep doing so.
Whether it’s visiting your favourite spot, leaving a Google review, sharing the restaurants’ posts, telling a friend, or even simply getting someone a gift card for them to try these spots themselves, everything makes a difference.
Now, more than ever, the community needs to come together to support these businesses that have continuously invested in Edmonton.
“Downtown is filled with hardworking people who are giving it everything they’ve got,” reads the team behind Patricia Street Deli on Instagram. “Let’s keep showing up for one another and help keep the heart of our city beating.”
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