Pandemic-strapped downtown restaurants celebrate return of Jets hockey
Puck drop for the start of the Winnipeg Jets preseason at the Canada Life Centre isn't just exciting news for hockey fans but for restaurants in the downtown area too.
Across the street from Canada Life Centre, Browns Socialhouse is getting ready for its first Jets rush in almost two years.
Justin Guest, the restaurant's general manager, said events like Jets games feel like a return to normal.
"It's a big part of our atmosphere to really cater to this type of market, and these events, so we're really looking forward to it," Guest said.
COVID-19 has taken a toll on restaurants and bars in the downtown area, and Sunday's Jets game is the first game since March of 2020 that the general public can attend.
Guest said he's expecting a big turnout.
"We're going to see a few hundred today. I think it's a really exciting crowd who want to get out. We want to get as many as we can in here within limits as long as we can continue to be safe."
Jazlyn Hrem, a bartender at Browns Socialhouse, continued to work during the lockdowns but said it's hard to get by without people coming to dine in.
"[For] people working in the industry, of course, tips are a large part of what they look forward to every shift, so going without that is tough."
Hrem said Sunday's Jets game will be a boost for servers in the downtown area.
"You definitely look forward to all the events, whether it's Jets games, concerts, anything like that, so a big event downtown like this is super important."
The Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservice Association said COVID-19 has financially decimated downtown restaurants due to the lack of people in the area.
Shaun Jeffrey, the association's CEO, said Jets games returning to downtown and bringing thousands of people with it is a step towards recovery for restaurants in the area.
"It's definitely a win/win for everybody, and it's a good way to start to raise the spirits of those downtown operators and staff that have maybe missed out on Manitobans [not being] able to come downtown."
Jeffrey said that having a thriving downtown with events creates more active business in the area.
Guest believes the downtown restaurant industry is on the way to recovery.
"I am looking forward to seeing the heartbeat of downtown Winnipeg return. I believe it has to do with the return of the Winnipeg Jets first."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.