New food pop-up on Whyte Ave. meant to ‘meet people where they're at'
There's a new restaurant space on Whyte Avenue that wants to give small businesses a place to call home for the summer.
The Hub on Whyte was opened Friday by Peter Keith and Glendon Tan, who said they've been sitting on the concept of an inclusive hub for restaurateurs since 2015.
The Hub features community pop-ups and provides room for up-and-coming chefs in a 'collaborative culinary space.'
Peter Keith - The Hub on Whyte
Peter Keith (pictured) and his business partner, Glendon Tan, came up with the idea of The Hub in 2015. Now the space is open as of July 11, 2025. (CTV News Edmonton)
'Restaurants are very expensive to open, food entrepreneurs need to raise a lot of money and make a pretty long-term commitment to have their own place,' said Keith. 'The hub is meant to help bridge that gap.'
Currently featured in the space for the summer are local companies Beb's Bagels and Balay Coffee.
Keith said The Hub intends to be 'flexible' on how long companies operate out of the space.
'Our goal is to make it easy for them, make it accessible, and kind of meet people where they're at,' he said.
Lindon Carter, co-owner of Beb's Bagels, said the hub is a welcome change of pace after jumping from kitchen to kitchen with his business partner Luke Breiteneder.
'It's pretty special … it's pretty hard to be a small business, and especially in a restaurant, taking on the responsibility of a brick and mortar is very daunting,' he said.
Carter said the location, on bustling Whyte Avenue, is a prime space for a bagel shop. They also work out of several coffee shops in the area.
Each company that operates out of The Hub works as an independent business – meaning visitors need to check individual social media or websites to see times.
The Hub inside
Customers began to file in to The Hub for a bagel or a coffee on July 11, 2025. (CTV News Edmonton)
That doesn't deter customers like Darian Araujo.
'I'm here for the [Whyte Avenue Art Walk] for the next two days, so I'm definitely coming back for more bagels … and also coming for the drinks too,' said Araujo. 'I think it's an awesome thing.'
Keith and Tan also co-own Meuwly's, a catering company dealing in charcuterie and smoked meats in the Westmount neighbourhood.
Keith said that their first business helped them gain the experience they needed before they ventured into supporting other businesses almost a decade later.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
7 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Ottawa yet to launch program announced last year that would grant permanent residency to low-wage workers
More than a year after announcing a new immigration stream that would have granted permanent residency to low-wage workers already in Canada, the federal government has yet to move ahead on formally launching the program – suggesting that Ottawa could be backing away from the plan altogether. The plan targeting low-wage workers was informally announced in April 2024, through the Canada Gazette. Consultations were set to begin last year on amending immigration laws to admit a 'new permanent economic class of workers in TEER 4 and TEER 5 jobs.' But the program was not included in July's version of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's forward regulatory plan, which details coming changes to federal immigration rules and programs over the next three years. Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, or TEER, is a job categorization system used by the government for immigration purposes. TEER 4 and TEER 5 workers usually have either a high-school diploma or no formal education at all, and examples of their occupations include delivery service drivers, caregivers, food production and retail workers. IRCC spokesperson Sofica Lukianenko said in a late July e-mail to The Globe and Mail that the department will 'continue to examine the role of immigration in meeting labour market needs at TEER 4 and 5 occupations.' She did not specify whether the program was still being considered by Ottawa, or whether it had been shelved indefinitely. Cancelling the program – which IRCC had billed as a pathway that would replace stand-alone pilot programs and provide a single mechanism to select economic immigrants in 'essential-skilled occupations' – would close off a clear path of access to permanent residency, or PR, for workers in low-wage jobs. Ms. Lukianenko said foreign workers in TEER 4 and 5 jobs already have a number of options for permanent immigration pathways, such as the new Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (which pledge to grant PR to approximately 5,000 caregivers annually) and a new agricultural workers pilot program that the government intends to launch this year. The most popular way of obtaining PR in Canada as an economic migrant is through the Express Entry system, a program that uses a scorecard to rank prospective immigrants based on skills and education level. Foreign workers in low-wage occupations often fail to meet criteria that would give them enough points to eventually garner PR. Many try their luck through the pilot programs or various provincial immigration programs such as the Atlantic Immigration Program and the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. But these programs have changed over the years, prioritizing skilled workers in the trades, graduates of Canadian institutions and French-speaking immigrants, leaving low-wage foreign workers with few options for direct paths to PR. Migrant rights advocates have long campaigned for this class of workers (many of them who enter the country through Ottawa's Temporary Foreign Workers program) to be given a clearer path to working and living permanently in Canada. They argue that the splintered nature of Canada's immigration system – with frequent changes in policy priorities, and the creation and termination of various streams – indirectly contributes to the growth of the undocumented population, as workers move in and out of jobs in an attempt to qualify for one of numerous programs, often overstaying their visas. Marina Sedai, a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer and former chair of the Canadian Bar Association's immigration section, said she was not surprised the TEER 4 and 5 program was not on the list of regulatory initiatives recently announced by IRCC. 'The Liberal Party adopted several conservative measures before the election to regain ground in the polls at the time, asserting that students and workers had to be cut to protect the housing and job markets,' she said. Public sentiment toward immigrants has become less friendly over the past two years, fuelled by concerns over housing prices and the overall cost of living. The government is trying to dramatically reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada, which had burgeoned in number over the past five years owing to immigration-friendly policy changes during the pandemic. Temporary residents currently make up about 7.1 per cent of the total population. The government is aiming for a target of 5 per cent by the end of 2026. Scrapping an immigration program that would grant PR to low-wage workers would be a wise move if the government's larger goal is to increase gross domestic product per capita through prioritizing higher-skilled immigrants, argues Mikal Skuterud, a professor of labour economics at the University of Waterloo. Prof. Skuterud was highly critical of the TEER 4 and TEER 5 pathway plan when it was announced last year, telling The Globe at the time that it would suppress wages and undermine public support for immigration. He said Ottawa intended to launch the program to hedge against the growing problem of visa overstayers, as offering foreign workers currently in Canada a direct path to PR en masse would reduce both temporary resident and undocumented populations. Ravi Jain, a Toronto-based immigration lawyer, said Canada's temporary resident population has increased so drastically over the past decade that it is unsurprising how federal immigration goals might have shifted. 'It is very much my sense that they do not want to create a 'low-skilled' pathway right now,' he said.
CBC
8 minutes ago
- CBC
Despite Trump's tariff increase, former N.L. premier satisfied with PM's trade strategy
As the United States increases tariffs on Canadian imports to 35 per cent, former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey says Prime Minister Mark Carney's slow and steady approach has been the best thing for the country. "It's been a very wise and strategic, a cohesive approach on behalf of all Canadians," Furey told CBC News on Thursday. Furey called Carney's approach calm and rational, adding that he thinks it is the "most sensible path forward." "We need to make sure that this is the best deal on behalf of all the industries, on behalf of all the workers, on behalf of all Canadians and all regions within Canada," Furey said. In February, Furey called Trump's tariff threat a " historic existential threat." He said he still believes it. By touting issues like fentanyl and border security as his rationale for the tariffs, Furey said Trump has created an environment of chaos. And by having his sights set on Canada, Furey believes Trump has an imperialistic agenda. "[Trump is] focused on creating economic turmoil so he can potentially extract, not only the value, but potentially even the land mass itself," he said. WATCH | Former N.L. premier reacts to Carney trade approach: Carney's approach to U.S. trade negotiations 'wise and strategic,' says former N.L. premier 4 days ago Andrew Furey, former premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, says the most 'sound' way to negotiate with the United States is in 'a calm, rational, Canadian manner.' This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump began levying higher import taxes on dozens of countries Thursday. Ontario Premier Doug Ford told CNN on Thursday that Trump is the most disliked politician in Canada, and described his tariffs as an attack on "his closest family member." Furey said Ford is right, adding that Canadians do see tariffs as an attack. "It's an attack on our industries, it's an attack on our resources, it's an attack on our historic and lengthy friendship," said Furey. Relationship with Mexico important For now, the White House says that the tariffs on Canada will not be applied to goods that are compliant with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA. And, most Canadian goods likely qualify, but Ford is also warning that Trump could try to reopen it. Earlier this week, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand travelled to Mexico looking to boost economic ties. Furey thinks Canada's relationship with Mexico is very important if Trump seeks to renegotiate CUSMA. "It's important that there's alignment and strategic thought processes existing between the partners like Canada and Mexico," he said. "We're next to the United States, but we don't want to be relying on the United States." Business bypassing U.S. In St. John's, Colonial Auto Parts president Doug Squires stopped working with U.S. suppliers last spring. And now, he said, everything is going according to plan. Squires said he has been in discussion with offshore suppliers and all of his products, except car paint and exhaust, can be sourced outside the U.S. He said because the U.S. auto industry is so large, most suppliers ship into the U.S. before shipping to Canada. This makes prices higher due to tariffs. So far, he has been able to avoid price increases. "By bypassing the United States, we eliminate the inclusion of that cost into our acquisition price and which will allow us to maintain pricing," Squires said. However, not all companies can do this, he said, because many offshore companies require high volume orders. "You need to bring it in in container loads in order to get the economies of scale from our pricing perspective," he said. Squires said the most challenging part is the uncertainty. "That uncertainty tends to make people be a little reluctant to make purchases or maintain their vehicles as they should."
Winnipeg Free Press
37 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dirty soda trend bubbles up to Canada with ‘Mormon Wives' as inspiration
Jeremy Guenette was sitting in an Idaho parking lot waiting for his kids to finish back-to-school shopping two years ago, when he noticed business was booming at a nearby truck mixing colas, cream and fruity flavours. 'For about 45 minutes, I just watched people come and go from the Soda Tsunami. They probably had about 150 customers and I think maybe one went to the (adjacent) taco truck, so I was just very intrigued,' Guenette recalled. A few sips of a dirty soda later, he not only understood the hype but was frantically searching for an equivalent back home in Alberta. When none could be found, he opened Sip Soda Co. — an Edmonton-area shop that helped bring the hit drink north of the border. While dirty soda is still quite nascent in Canada, the fizzy drinks with fun names are rapidly growing in popularity. They're cropping up at summer fairs, making their way onto the menus of national chains like Crumbl and scaling social media trending charts. 'The category remains too small to track on its own. However, their emergence is all part of a bigger trend that is taking place in beverages,' said Vince Sgabellone, a foodservice industry analyst at research firm Circana, in an email. The trend he was referring to is the switch away from one of the biggest drink categories — brewed coffee — toward specialty drinks that customers see as 'new, different, unique, and yes in many cases, Instagram worthy.' 'Dirty soda is very Instagrammable. They are colourful and entertaining,' Sgabellone said. 'I had one client tell me their daughter tries to match her beverage with her outfit. They are just fun.' While one could attribute the dirty soda's march toward ubiquity as a reflection of the usual influence U.S. social media has on Canadian fast-food innovation, Guenette said it's actually 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' that got locals buzzing about the beverages. The reality show's stars are frequently shown sipping dirty sodas or visiting Swig, a U.S. chain founded in 2010 that popularized the drinks through Mormon communities, which do not drink alcohol, coffee or tea but can drink soda. 'That created the perfect storm this year,' Guenette said. 'Last year, two out of every three customers would be like, 'What's a dirty soda?' This year, it's complete opposite and I really believe it's because 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' took off.' B.C. sisters Mikayla and Brooklynn Cantelon were part of the wave. Experimenting at home based on what they had seen on the show and then sharing their concoctions with friends and on social media, convinced them they had what it takes to open Pop Culture Dirty Soda, a trailer that's been selling the drinks at events around B.C.'s Lower Mainland since May. While some customers are still puzzled about what a dirty soda is, others are trying to test out what they've seen on TV. 'People are coming to us and saying, 'Can you recreate Whitney's order? Can you recreate Taylor's order?'' Mikayla said, referencing 'Mormon Wives' cast members. The Cantelons can do both – and then some. The sisters charge $4.50 for a base soda that customers then add syrups or creamers to for 75 cents each. Topping the drink with strawberry or cheesecake cold foam or a raspberry or peach puree costs $1.50 each while lining the cup with marshmallow fluff carries a $1 charge. They also have a roster of pre-set menu items including beverages referencing singers Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter. The premium items sell for $8.50 each, while the July bestseller — the cherry Bombshell made with Dr Pepper, cherry syrup, coconut cream and candy on top — goes for $6. The price point is higher than your standard fountain drink, making dirty soda attractive for restaurants, which can use it to upsell customers and attract a younger customer base Sgabellone said is more drawn in by colourful beverages. If dirty sodas keep increasing in popularity, they'll follow a pattern set by cold beverages that have come before them. Energy drinks and carbonated fruit juices have all gained more market share in recent years as they've joined the menus at fast-food giants like Tim Hortons. A recent Restaurants Canada report found carbonated soft drinks are now the second most ordered beverages in the country, behind coffee. Soda made it into 19.6 per cent of orders between March 2023 and 2024, sliding from 21.4 per cent a year earlier. However, even with the dip, its prevalence is now higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Dirty sodas could give the category a boost because they're easy to make, are crafted from affordable ingredients most restaurants already have on hand and are seen by customers as a 'destination beverage.' 'More than ever, consumers are looking for new, exciting, different,' Sgabellone said. 'They will cross the street to get that.' It's a good sign for the Cantelons, who are preparing to launch a second trailer, and Guenette who has been in talks to franchise his business with a new drive-thru model across the country. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Hot on their heels is Crumbl, the fast-expanding cookie shop which recently introduced dirty sodas to its Canadian stores, as well as a slew of other independent upstarts and chains like McDonald's which have experimented with the drinks in the U.S. The competition has neither the Cantelons nor Guenette worried. They see it as a sign that they have a winning concept. 'It's been a blessing, to be honest. I love competition,' said Guenette. 'It keeps your head up, keeps you moving forward and it gets the best out of everyone.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2025.
