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Edmonton Journal

Edmonton restaurants feeling summertime sadness as dining activity slows

Article content Edmonton's restaurants are seeing a slump in activity this summer following yet another long playoff run that benefitted some eateries more than others, depending on how close they were to the action. Article content 'We honestly make all of our money during (the playoffs). It is a big benefit, not only for the company as a whole, but also for staff,' said Catherine Lesiuk, manager at Buco in Epcor Tower. Article content Article content Lesiuk said the playoffs kept the restaurant busy for weeks but, in the month since, it's been slow. Some of the concerts and events that have come through helped, but didn't spur as much activity as the restaurant hoped for. Article content Article content It's been more than one month since the Edmonton Oilers played in the Stanley Cup Final. Despite recently released data from May indicating strong food and beverage industry activity, local restaurants reported a slow summer for business lately. Article content 'The Oilers had an amazing playoff run, and that's great for a very small portion of the restaurant community, but there's a very large portion of the restaurant community that isn't in the immediate downtown core and actually suffers because they're not focused around playoff hockey,' said Paul Shufelt, chef and proprietor of Woodshed Burgers and other local restaurants in the city. Article content Article content Restaurateurs flagged similar concerns as the Oilers climbed higher into the playoffs, predicting a possible playoff ' hangover ' that would curb local spending after the games were finished. Article content Article content 'We've seen some of that for sure — that sort of hangover. If it's $2,000 to go buy a Stanley Cup Final ticket, you spent all your fun money, and don't have those dollars to be going out and having a nice dinner, celebrating a special occasion,' said Shufelt. Article content Apart from Woodshed, Shufelt is also behind other restaurants such as Hayloft, The Workshop and the Greenhouse, none of which are near Rogers Place. He said despite the city's talk about the economic impact of the playoffs, he found himself questioning where that money went. Article content 'You hear these numbers (that it) brought $250 million to the community. Well, where did that money go? Because it didn't land in restaurants and bars that were not all about the Oilers.'