Businesses that will not re-open post pandemic

[J.OT13]

Looks good. Thanks rocketphish!

[Uhuniau]

Oh no, I'll now have to walk a block to a different Starbucks to not buy their bitter, overbrewed, overpriced caffeinated bilge.

[jeffinottawa]

Stoneface Dolly's also announced a couple of weeks ago that both of their locations (Preston and Riverside South) are shutting down...

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/stoneface-...outh-1.4941217

[daud]

Can't speak to any individual business but the meetings and conventions market has been completely decimated by this COVID19 pandemic. This includes:

Convention Centres and Venues
Hotels
Catering
Audio Visual Firms
trade Show Services
Staging
Furniture and Event Rental

And airlines are on the periphery of this industry as well.

This is a multi billion dollar industry in Canada alone and activity has completely dried up. The little bit that is there is now virtual.

Its also noteworthy that as we start to move back to a new normal, Meetings and Events are going to be the last group to see any business activity and what does come back will be much less than what was there before.

It is a very very difficult period in this sector and many people working in it are freelancers or hourly.

[citydwlr]

The Fish Market Restaurant In Byward Market Closes After 41 Years

The Fish Market Restaurant, a cornerstone of the Byward Market, announced its closing on Facebook today.

The Fish Market is a part of a group of restaurants in the Byward Market, including Coasters Seafood Grill and Vineyards Wine Bar Bistro. All will be closing due to COVID19 setbacks.

“Like so many others, the Covid-19 Virus closure has devastated our business. We are unable to recover and will not re-open our beloved three restaurants.”

They join a long list of closing businesses in the market, including The Highlander Pub, Tucker’s Marketplace and many more.

[ Source: Faces Magazine ]

[rocketphish]

ByWard Market restaurants close after 41 years due to COVID-19
The Fish Market Group announced its closure Tuesday

Natalia Goodwin · CBC News
Posted: Jun 17, 2020 3:59 PM ET | Last Updated: 3 hours ago



A trio of long-running ByWard Market restaurants are the latest Ottawa dining establishments to shut down because of COVID-19.

The Fish Market Group, which encompasses The Fish Market Restaurant, Coasters Seafood Grill and Vineyards Wine Bar Bistro, has been operating in the ByWard Market for 41 years.

In a social media post Tuesday, the owners said it was "with a broken heart" that they were closing their doors.

"Like so many others, the COVID-19 virus closure has devastated our business. We are unable to recover and will not reopen our beloved three restaurants," they wrote.

The closing of another restaurant is "really sad to see," said Sarah Chown, who heads the Ottawa chapter of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association.

"My heart goes out to the owners and the staff," Chown said.

"I don't think they'll be the last one, and we're going to hate to see those empty storefronts. It's not good for anything. With the lack of tourism down here, it's going to be a real struggle for a lot of places."

Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury said he's counted three other ByWard Market businesses that have shut down since the pandemic hit, adding the latest closure was particularly devastating.

"It's a family business, it's locally owned, and last year they were impacted by the neighbouring fire at Vittoria Trattoria," Fleury said.

"So their revenue over last summer was was challenging … this is kind of a double whammy for them."

While the city is deferring the payment of commercial property taxes until October, Fleury said he's hearing from businesses that the lost revenue so far — plus the decline in tourists this summer and the threat of a similar decline involving students this fall — means the deferral might not be enough.

He said the city and business community are in talks with the province about some sort of financial assistance.

"The provincial government really needs to put in a loan program where businesses can push all of those financial pressures during the COVID period and repay that over the next five years, so that they can really put their focus on reopening," Fleury said.

CBC Ottawa reached out to the owners of The Fish Market Group, but have yet to hear back.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...d-19-1.5616094

[UrbOttawa]

Not sure if this is covid related, but the zesty market at 111 Rideau appears to be permanently closed. It's going to be pretty interesting to see how this stretch changes with these prime spaces opening up combined with the rideau st renewal.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by UrbOttawa

Not sure if this is covid related, but the zesty market at 111 Rideau appears to be permanently closed. It's going to be pretty interesting to see how this stretch changes with these prime spaces opening up combined with the rideau st renewal.

That building needs a lot of work.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by UrbOttawa

Not sure if this is covid related, but the zesty market at 111 Rideau appears to be permanently closed. It's going to be pretty interesting to see how this stretch changes with these prime spaces opening up combined with the rideau st renewal.

I'm hoping that the silver lining will be that mainstreet rents come down as vacancies rise and the chains retreat, which will mean opportunities for smaller independent businesses. That said, they're less likely to do major renos on a building like that (as are landlords with less rent coming in).

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That building needs a lot of work.

It's a designated heritage building, I believe?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

It's a designated heritage building, I believe?

I wonder if it would be possible to build atop these buildings and retain the heritage facades.

[ars]

A friend of mine got an email that the Ashley Homestore on Hunt Club will be permanently closing soon as well.

[SidetrackedSue]

Gibson's on Queen

Here's the announcement:

http://www.gibsonsonqueen.com/

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by SidetrackedSue

Gibson's on Queen

Here's the announcement:

http://www.gibsonsonqueen.com/

That was our go-to at work. It was hit-or-miss... Mostly miss...

[rocketphish]

Now it's official:

Tucker's Marketplace won't reopen, chain says

Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jun 26, 2020 • Last Updated 11 hours ago • 1 minute read

The ByWard Market eatery Tucker’s Marketplace is closing permanently after concluding “there is not a profitable path forward for our business.”

In an open letter to customers, the buffet-style chain said it had been actively planning to reopen and was monitoring the COVID-19 situation.

“Unfortunately, it seems the undeniable reality is that Covid-19 will be with us for some time. And we anticipate therefore, that upon reopening and for the foreseeable future, restaurants will be required to operate with capacity restrictions and to maintain physical distancing,” said the letter.

“Most concerning of all, we expect that customers will be reluctant to return to restaurants or to frequent restaurants as often as they once did, until a meaningful treatment or a vaccine for Covid-19 is found.”

The chain has three Ontario restaurants including one on York Street.

Earlier this month, the chain said it would not reopen until COVID-19 concerns began to ease. Physical distancing requirements don’t fit in with the restaurant’s buffet format, which had features such as a salad bar, roast beef carvery and ice cream stand.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...-53f4230fcd22/

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Now it's official:

Bad luck again for the Byward market. It's getting ugly there. IMHO most of the food options in the Market were over-priced and mediocre. Hopefully this can lead to a renaissance. One limiting factor could be the reluctance of the landlords to lower their rents. I think most of the market is owned by a few big landlords so could be especially problematic. There were already locations that have been empty for years. Certainly night clubs seem like they will be one of the last to open. Social distancing kind of defeats the point. Once they close will they ever be allowed to re-open? On the plus side Barefax would seem to be doomed which will be nice to have out of the downtown core.

[J.OT13]

I don't understand landlords that insist on ridiculously high rents. Is it somehow better to have empty storefronts than charging a reasonable rent?

[SidetrackedSue]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I don't understand landlords that insist on ridiculously high rents. Is it somehow better to have empty storefronts than charging a reasonable rent?

One of my favourite gift shops closed in my neighbourhood and I was across the street looking for something at a different themed shop and mentioned how I missed the shop across the street. She said the company just closed there and opened in the Rideau Centre because the rent was cheaper. No wonder Westboro is losing unique retail shops and getting in return eateries of one sort or another.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SidetrackedSue

One of my favourite gift shops closed in my neighbourhood and I was across the street looking for something at a different themed shop and mentioned how I missed the shop across the street. She said the company just closed there and opened in the Rideau Centre because the rent was cheaper. No wonder Westboro is losing unique retail shops and getting in return eateries of one sort or another.

Westboro on the path that the Glebe has already tred ...

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I don't understand landlords that insist on ridiculously high rents. Is it somehow better to have empty storefronts than charging a reasonable rent?

A lot of times yes. Or at least it used to be. Look at Real Sports in the market. That spot was empty for a couple of years and then deep pocket chain showed up and probably paid great rent. Not sure why it didn't last. Probably Ottawa too cheap to over-pay for drinks because TVs are bigger and wait staff hotter. That's a Toronto thing. Now it's been empty again for years. Chasing another big moneyed chain. That dream is now dead. Do they steal a hot young chef who is overpaying somewhere else and get some revenue or leave it empty? My money is on empty. Probably they own 20 other locations in the market so have an incentive to not let anyone in a prime spot for less rent.