In 2020, the last Arby’s closed in Winnipeg. It seems every few years some franchises not named McDonald’s fade and, in some cases, die. Such as Swiss Chalet, which has twice expanded here and twice died. Harvey’s is another that has risen and fallen and now has only one location.
Having a good location for your franchise certainly helps and being located in the Seasons at Tuxedo mall will help. As mentioned in other posts, the mall along Sterling Lyon has not had a break in building in a decade. This new Arby’s in the city should have a fighting chance between the mall and so many new residents onsite in the last three years.
Also, in the same section of the Red River Co-Op Grocery part of the mall, a large Canadian restaurant chain called St. Louis Bar and Grill will be opening. It is their first location in Winnipeg and will be one of only a few locations they have in the west.
As per an earlier post D Spot Desserts in the same section along with a Dollarama. Curiously, there is a Dollarama across the street. Will that one stay open?
There has been some musing about the Americanization of Winnipeg through Seasons but it should be pointed out just how much housing is a component from the very start. We can’t think of too many malls in American that have around 3000 or more residents that can literally walk a few hundred feet to the mall. While malls can have suburban residential areas around them, to actually have multi-unit homes right inside the footprint is just not the American experience.
And despite having favourite American stores, it also has banks, insurance agencies, medical clinics, liquor stores, fitness spots, pharmacies, grocery stores, specialty local stores, local restaurants and the like. A bus loop runs right inside the area. This a different animal compared to past malls.
For Arby’s, the decision to locate here is how many people including tourists who will come. And to that end, it looks like the right place.
This has been a guest editorial by John Dobbin.
To read more from John, visit his blog Observations, Reservations, Conversations
