'People are hungry for live music': New entertainment venue coming to Osborne Street
Winnipeggers will soon have a new venue to enjoy live music and entertainment, as plans are underway to open up a new facility along Osborne.
Sidestage will be popping up at 700 Osborne right next to Park Theatre. Jenna Priestner and Cory Thomas both work at the Park Theatre, and when the opportunity came up to get the building, they jumped at it.
"We have each just kind of wanted to have our own space, and a smaller venue in the city, because we need that now, especially with the Goodwill closing," said Priestner. "It's just kind of an idea that's been floating around for probably at least six months, maybe longer."
Inside the unrenovated Sidestage. A stage will eventually take over the back of the room for live performances. April 11, 2024. (Devon McKendrick/CTV News Winnipeg)
The building used to be Nerman's Books and Collectibles, but the owner retired and sold the store in 2023.
Now, the bookshelves have been removed, and the floor and ceiling have been ripped out. Exposed brick behind the shelves remains – a feature both Priestner and Thomas like – and a few tables have been brought in to fill the centre of the room. Once they are able to start the renovations, Sidestage will turn into a 200-seat entertainment venue, including a bar, and a stage for live performances.
"Cory being the main booker at the Park, he does a lot of shows that have around 200 people. So some of those shows that are happening at the Park will happen here now and if the shows start selling here, we can move them to the Park and vice versa. So it's definitely going to be a nice collaboration between the two of us."
Thomas said they are hoping to book a variety of shows from metal and punk to folk and indie. But he also wants it to be a venue that can host parties and other events.
"I think a people will be chomping at the bit to play here. And we're already getting a lot of interest from bands and tours that are waiting for this room to open. So I think we're going to hit the ground running," said Thomas.
It's empty now, but this is where the bar is expected to be set up in Sidestage. April 11, 2024. (Devon McKendrick/CTV News Winnipeg)
He noted it's important to have a venue of this size in Winnipeg, as everyone really noticed how much the arts were missed when the pandemic hit.
"Now I find things are firing on all cylinders, like all the shows are doing really well. People are hungry for live music, live entertainment. So I think this is going to be great right out of the gate."
The duo are just waiting for permits to be approved by the city before they can start turning it into the venue of their dreams.
"Once we get this space built, we'll be able to figure out how we can sort of configure different types of events, including seated events. It's kind of hard to see how that going to work out without the renovations being done," said Priestner.
If everything goes according to plan, they hope to open the doors in September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.