'People seem to want to get out and spoil themselves' Windsor bar owner thrilled to be busy
With lockdowns behind them, the owner of a Windsor bar is excited for what the future holds.
Mark Dutka, owner of Maiden Lane Wine & Spirts, admits the pandemic was “scary.”
“We opened our business and less than a year later we were shut down. This is how we feed our family,” Dutka says.
Maiden Lane Wine & Spirits creates unique cocktails and drinks from a vast and in some cases, rare, selection of alcohol from around the world.
Dutka says they “pivoted” to cocktail deliveries, expanded their patio and opened a rare wine bottle shop at their downtown Windsor bar.
They don’t have to deliver anymore, because the customers are coming to them now and keeping the staff busy.
“People seem to want to get out and spoil themselves a little bit and have us take care of them, and have us make them drinks instead of making their drinks at home.”
A surge in business is something the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association has noticed as well, according to Chair Brian Yeomans.
“They’re saying they’re seeing people from out of town that are starting to come back in again,” he says.
Yet Yeomans notes locals are still enjoying their city.
“This is how we prove how important local shopping is,” says Yeomans.
“When you survive a pandemic for 16 months, because of that local support, if we continue that, in addition to the tourism, I’m so excited to see that.”
And there’s more hope on the horizon as the Canadian land border will reopen to vaccinated Americans on Aug. 15.
“Once that border opens, I anticipate a real up-turn in our business,” says Tom O’Brien, owner of Coopers Hawk Vineyards in Essex.
O’Brien says before the pandemic, 18 per cent of their business was to American customers, either buying wine or enjoying at meal at their on-site restaurant.
“We’re going to have a good tourism season I think.” says O’Brien.
“I think people want to get out. I think they want to go someplace safe, they want to feel spacious and comfortable.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.