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WAYNE GLOWACKI \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Underdogs, a sports bar in St. James, will open early Sunday morning for an Olympic gold-medal hockey game watch party as Canada takes on the U.S. with puck drop at 7:10 a.m.<\/p>\n
The provincial government announced late Friday afternoon that it\u2019s allowing bars and restaurants to open early Sunday morning for the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to be a part of the party,\u201d Frank Fiorillo, a part-owner of Underdogs, said on Saturday. \u201cWe\u2019re one of the bigger sports bars in the city, so we can\u2019t pass up the opportunity to open up for the gold medal game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Underdogs said in a social media post yesterday it would be open for the game. The bar, which seats around 200 people, was completely booked about four hours later.<\/p>\n
Over at the Grove, staff will open the doors at 6:45 a.m. \u2014 a little more than three hours earlier than usual.<\/p>\n
Tyler McVarish, who manages the Grove, expects to hit capacity at the 100-seat pub and restaurant, located in River Heights.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe phone\u2019s been ringing pretty much off the hook since (Team Canada) won yesterday,\u201d he said late Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
The Grove has been showing the Olympics \u201calmost exclusively\u201d for the last two weeks, McVarish said, adding that he\u2019s looking forward to a fun Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a pretty neighbourhood-driven pub \u2014 a lot of the faces we get through the door we see all the time. It\u2019s important for us to be here for people who want to come watch. It\u2019s just a special atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t DAVID LIPNOWSKI \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n The Grove Pub & Restaurant is among the many restaurants and bars opening across the city to welcome patrons for the Canada-U.S. gold medal hockey game early Sunday morning.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t According to Manitoba\u2019s Liquor Regulation, the executive director for Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba may authorize extended hours of liquor service for events of community, provincial or national significance, the provincial government said in a news release.<\/p>\n Licensed establishments opening early must serve liquor no earlier than one hour before the televised event starts; ensure the premises were closed and vacated for at least one hour the previous night; and open specifically for the purpose of televising the Olympic event.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Team Canada plays for gold, the whole country leans in,\u201d Premier Wab Kinew said in the release.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re allowing bars and restaurants to open early, so friends, families and neighbours can gather, share that energy and celebrate what unites us.\u201d<\/p>\n aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Aaron Epp Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. Read more about Aaron<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Aaron produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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