Pandemic bounce back: pair of Windsor businesses survive and thrive

Not all businesses could stay afloat in the choppy waters of a historic pandemic, but a pair of Windsor businesses are proof positive of entrepreneurial perseverance after surviving the rigors of the public health crisis.

The recovery has been turbulent five years after the first cases of what would come to be known as COVID-19 were documented in China and circulated around the globe, but for some – the pressure produced diamonds instead of coal.

“If I’m going to be honest, I would say, ‘No,’” said Adam El-Dika, the owner of Whamburg in Windsor, when asked if the burger business would exist without the challenges of the pandemic. “For a lot of people, when they’re put under extreme constraints, you’d be surprised how well you can perform and the things that you can do.”

El-Dika is part of a small group of entrepreneurs able to turn his ‘pandemic pivot’ into a business that continues to thrive today.

Statistics Canada reports business insolvencies jumped 129.3 per cent in January 2024 compared to the same time a year ago, while total insolvencies jumped 27.4 per cent in that time.

The smash burger idea started as a side hustle at El-Dika’s Mare Nostrum restaurant on the University of Windsor campus in November 2020 as way to generate more revenue when customer visits began to dry up in the face of pandemic public health measures.

“It was, ‘We need to survive,’” said El-Dika.

Now, the Whamburg concept has grown from the ghost kitchen to two standalone locations with a new concept expected to launch later this year.

“I think end of December [2020], beginning of January [2021], order volume spiked,” said El-Dika. “We couldn’t keep up. We added additional staff. The response was really good.”

 

Amor Hernandez, one half of the ownership of Café Amor & Art, speaks with CTV News on Dec. 17, 2024. (Ricardo Veneza/CTV Windsor)

Café Amor & Art

It’s a similar story at Café Amor & Art in Windsor.

The coffee shop started in a small space on Ottawa St. owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Amor Hernandez and Edgar Ontaneda.

“I was a painter, so it was a big change for me,” said Ontaneda. “But it’s one of the things that I love the most.”

The couple opened the shop in July 2020 — facing changing restrictions, expert recommendations, and customer volumes.

“It was like the peak of the pandemic,” said Hernandez. “It was horrible. Sometimes we had one customer the whole day.”

The couple was able to survive the hardship, growing the business to the point where they needed more space.

They secured a new location across the street and, not only that, but a second location in Belle River where the couple often frequented.

“I cried so many times out of happiness to see, ‘Wow!’ From now customers to all these people waiting outside or lining up even inside to get a table,” said Hernandez. “Today, it’s just a joy.”

 

Whamburg on Walker Rd. in Windsor. Dec. 11, 2024. (Ricardo Veneza/CTV Windsor)

Future growth

The success of the smash burger brand saw El-Dika quickly move to revamp his Lebanese-inspired restaurant to the first standalone Whamburg location by summer 2021.

The second location on Walker Rd. opened in 2024.

El-Dika says that growth saw his staff jump from three manning the kitchen on campus to more than 30 today across the two locations.

For Hernandez and Ontaneda, the dynamic duo has grown the café’s staff to 10.

Both businesses are planning more growth in 2025.

El-Dika expects to launch a new Whamburg concept later this year aim to grow the brand further across Windsor-Essex while Hernandez said there are plans to expand space at its Windsor location to cater to its customers.