The Trap and Gill is closing the doors for good

[aaronck]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

So what you're saying is that



They paved paradise and put up a parking lot?

That building was full of Mold I heard, far from paradise! I lived across the alley for 25 years, turning it into a parking lot will not be great for the people that live close.

[Ducay]

Anyone have inside info on whats going on with the Bear & Kilt?

Sign from the start of April says plumbing work and ~2 weeks closed, but I don't believe that is the case (plumbing) and it is still closed coming on 2 months now. AHS food inspections are clean too....

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by looooob

bah in my day that was just the neighbourhood movie theatre..


http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/40559

Went there with my cousins to see all those schlocky independent movies in the seventies. Bigfoot documentaries, etc. Stuff that didn't run in the chain theatres. They'd have those annoying TV commercials "coming soon to Olds, Beiseker, Hanna, Brooks etc."

[GGG]

Originally Posted by curves2000

There is a lot that is going on in the food, restaurant and bar business in Calgary/ Alberta in 2019. A ton of factors and some of them are directly related to all the different levels of government, others have to do with the economy and others have to do with changing tastes.

I have never been to this establishment but in the article they did a good job of highlighting a bunch of the challenges they faced and they seem very real.

Other factors outside of the obvious factors like the usual $15 wage and carbon taxes etc is that now a lot of businesses need to be ON THEIR GAME when it comes to consumer spending. The days when everybody in Calgary was making bank and people were throwing down the bucks for overpriced highballs that contained almost no booze, beer being served with zero head on the top and with a side of attitude from the waitress who expected massive tips are done.

Far too many places with awful food, terrible prices and value and a very poor understanding on the operations side of the business have closed. Not all of it was the NDP's $15 wage and some other excuses fault. Plenty of places have thrived and continue to be in business after 30, 40+ years. Those places GET IT and know the business.

Poor municipal policy is also affecting small, independent chains and its getting harder and harder for them to do business. Every dam suburb looks the same and a HUGE portions of the commercial real estate is owned by the major commercial landlords who have leases and clauses thicker than an old phone booth. All they want is the same thing over and over for business so that they can pay their rent.

A very close friend of mine approached a national commercial landlord for an AMAZING concept down in the south in the food service side that would have been amazing in Calgary. He pretty much got laughed out of the office because that wasn't what they wanted in that spot and wanted the security of the rent payments, ironically him and his family own several franchise locations of a major pizza chain. He brought it up and they went from laughing to salivating at the the thought of them being there but that isn't what the area needed. In some ways its kinda sad because Calgary doesn't have that vibrancy and that differentiation compared to even SMALL cities, we are only getting worse.

Just my thoughts and sorry about the long post! Good luck to the owners of the Trap and Gill in whatever else they do!

It’s too bad people eat at Boston Pizza and other chains. It really ranks the ability of independants to make it in the burbs.

[pepper24]

Too bad about Trap and Gill. Loved the pinball arcade there!

Unless I have to go for work etc we avoid any chain type restaurant. The odd time the kids will force us to Boston Pizza (they do a good job convincing kids) but mostly eat at local restaurants. Really important that we support small business in this economy.

[Iceman90]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

As a bit of an aside, have you heard anything on the old YMCA site across from the Trap & Gill that is now demolished? Kerby Centre relocating there has been mentioned but it has all gone quiet.

I haven't heard anything. Last I heard there was a ton of asbestos remediation that had to be done first.

[lambeburger]

Home and Away on 17th is closing down, but will reopen at a new location:

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...d-says-manager

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Anyone have inside info on whats going on with the Bear & Kilt?

Sign from the start of April says plumbing work and ~2 weeks closed, but I don't believe that is the case (plumbing) and it is still closed coming on 2 months now. AHS food inspections are clean too....

Gonna bump the real question that needs answering

[EverfresH15]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Gonna bump the real question that needs answering

They answered their phone when i called. If that means anything.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by EverfresH15

They answered their phone when i called. If that means anything.

Did you ask to speak to Seymour Butts?

[Nufy]

Anecdotally I heard that the owner(s) were terrible business people...

The sister location in Edmonton closed last year I think.

Overpriced mediocre food will kill business real quick.