Grand Cantina reopens in Walkerville as neighborhood revitalization continues

The opening of The Grand Cantina in its new location in Walkerville is just the latest in a series of efforts to revitalize the distillery district.

The restaurant reopened Monday at the corner of Wyandotte and Devonshire — after wrapping up operations in Windsor's Ford City neighborhood on May 6.

It's a move that made perfect sense, according to management.

Walkerville sign in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

"We were tight for space in our old location so it just seemed like a really good opportunity," said Rosemary Woods, co-owner of F&B Hospitality Group which runs The Grand Cantina.

We also have our other businesses nearby. We have Taloola Cafe. We have Funky Chow Kitchen and F&B Restaurant ... So if we need to borrow tomatoes for somewhere, we don't need to go far."

One of the biggest drivers of Walkerville’s revitalization is developer Rosati Group.

It’s refurbishing 1801 Wyandotte — which will hold two restaurants, The GOAT Tap & Eatery and Kona Sushi — along with office space on the upper level.

Work being done to refurbish the building at 1801 Wyandotte Street East in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

Rosati Group did not disclose the name of the tenant occupying the upper level.

The development group also said 1969 Wyandotte is slated for future development, as work continues on a distillery square project which will encompass an entire block of Walkerville.

"We’ve seen a lot of upgrades happening in the buildings. You can see there’s construction happening across the street. They’ve been renovating the building next door so Milos can go there. We’ve seen a lot of great growth in the area," said Scarlet Kennedy of Biblioasis.

Considered a mainstay of the neighborhood, the bookstore is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Biblioasis moved into Walkerville in 2012, according to Kennedy.

While she sees many of the same faces popping in over the years, Kennedy said there's also been a lot of new visitors to the bookstore as well — and many of them have been drawn by the many changes happening so rapidly in Walkerville.

"Every day, we get two or three people who say, “Oh, I’ve never been here before. This is great.” So it’s awesome for us," said Kennedy.

Biblioasis book store in the Walkerville neighbourhood in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)