A little more than a year after the Italian Bakery reopened its Chinatown location after a fire, shutters cover the ‘Now Open’ sign.
The location closed this weekend.
Co-owner Rosaly DeVenz says it’s a combination of factors, including property taxes, social disorder and less business from downtown.
“People going to work downtown with their new working from home model, that has affected us,” DeVenz said.
That cut back on traffic is also why Filistix is closing its downtown restaurant.
“The appetite for people to come back to the office, especially in this area is kind of slim to none,” Filistix co-owner Ariel Del Rosario said.
The Edmonton Downtown Business Association says office vacancy hasn’t changed much in the last five years.
Puneeta McBryan says different areas also get different traffic.
“No two areas of downtown are alike,” McBryan said. “On 104th Street, I don’t know that there’s more than one or two vacancies on this entire street from Jasper Avenue to 104th Avenue.”
Area councillor Anne Stevenson says work habits have changed and more people are working fewer days in the office.
She says the city is focused on encouraging people to come downtown to offset the difference.
“We’ve actually had more downtown festivals (in 2024) than we did pre-pandemic,” Stevenson said.
That is planned to continue into 2025.