CityNews has compiled a list of eight businesses in or near the downtown core that have closed this summer. The owners of those businesses have pointed to construction, rising costs, and city policies as the reasons for their closure.<\/p>\n
*The full list is available below.*<\/p>\n
Edmonton\u2019s mayor says council is taking action to address concerns through the downtown action plan, as well as supports for the vulnerable and addressing disorder in the core.<\/p>\n
Andrew Knack expects a bigger focus on more relief this winter when the city hammers out a new four-year budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we\u2019ve also had about 10 new businesses open up in the downtown at least that I\u2019m aware of in the last little while, we need to support the ones that are just setting up, the ones that have been there for a long time as they\u2019re dealing with different challenges,\u201d Knack said.<\/p>\n
Restaurants closing across Canada, councillor says<\/p>\n
Downtown councillor Anne Stevenson says the challenges restaurants are facing need to be looked at within the broader context of the state of Canada\u2019s hospitality industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, there were 7,000 restaurants across Canada that closed last year, and expectations were that another 4,000 would be closing this year,\u201d said Stevenson, citing projections from Dalhousie University<\/a> published in January.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very difficult market and that\u2019s not exclusive to Edmonton or Edmonton\u2019s downtown. As a municipality, we hold a piece of the pie, and we need to be doing as much as we can within that.\u201d<\/p>\n The Ward O-day\u2019min councillor says the city is responding to the construction and vibrancy concerns by introducing an accelerated roadwork plan. That plan would shorten construction times in certain areas and add more peace officers downtown and along transit.<\/p>\n But the Downtown Revitalization Coalition wants action sooner, including free street parking; waving patio fees for the remainder of the summer; changes to how downtown construction is coordinated; higher standards for contractors working on downtown projects; and regular public reporting on timelines and results.<\/p>\n \u201cConstruction is necessary, but the way it is currently being managed is placing an unsustainable burden on businesses that are already dealing with public safety concerns, reduced foot traffic and rising operating costs,\u201d Watson said.<\/p>\n \u201cDowntown recovery cannot succeed if there are no businesses left to recover. Every closure makes revitalization more difficult, more expensive and more uncertain. Council still has time to act but that window is closing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018From bad to worse\u2019<\/p>\n CityNews spoke to Edmontontians downtown who want to see the situation there improve.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been in Edmonton going on almost 50 years,\u201d one person said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been revitalizing downtown in all this time and nothing has changed. It\u2019s gone from bad to worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think parking is a big issue, personally, for the restaurants,\u201d said another. \u201cToday, I\u2019m trying to find parking for Taste of Edmonton, and it\u2019s very hard to find parking anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNew city council,\u201d added a third. \u201cGet rid of the incumbents that have been there forever that are not doing nothing, just blowing smoke.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the full list, compiled by CityNews, of restaurants and caf\u00e9s that have closed in June and July. The first five are downtown, while the final three are near downtown.<\/p>\n Khazana<\/p>\n Location: 10177 107 Street NW<\/p>\n Closure date: Early June<\/p>\n Reason for closure: Owner Mehaik Bhasin blames ongoing construction<\/a> outside their business on 107 Street and 102 Avenue and is contemplating a class-action lawsuit<\/a> against the City of Edmonton. Also closed their Windemere location.<\/p>\n kb&co<\/p>\n Location: 10224 104 Street NW<\/p>\n Closure date: Early July<\/p>\n Reason for closure: Owner posted on Instagram<\/a> that \u201cfor the last six years, downtown has faced challenge after challenge. The construction, reduced foot traffic, changing work patterns after COVID, safety concerns etc, and every year seemed to bring another obstacle. I kept believing that if I just worked a little harder, stayed a little longer, or fought a little more, we\u2019d make it through.\u201d<\/p>\n PlayWright<\/p>\n Location: 10177 99 Street NW<\/p>\n Closure date: Late June<\/p>\n Reasons for closure: Owner Steven Brochu told CityNews<\/a> construction and road closures on 99 Street have made it difficult for customers to get to his business.<\/p>\n Greta<\/p>\n Location: 10141 109 Street NW<\/p>\n Closure date: July 26<\/p>\n Reason for closure: President Chris DeCock told CityNews<\/a> Tuesday it\u2019s because of what he calls a lack of access and foot traffic, blaming construction. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t one tax increase. It wasn\u2019t patio fees. It wasn\u2019t paid parking. It wasn\u2019t hybrid work. It wasn\u2019t safety. It wasn\u2019t one construction project. It was death by a thousand cuts. Year after year, decision after decision, operating downtown became a little harder and investing there became a little riskier,\u201d he wrote in a post on the business\u2019 website.<\/p>\n B\u00fcndok<\/p>\n Location: 10228 104 Street NW<\/p>\n Closure date: July 19<\/p>\n Reason for closure: Did not share exact reasons when announcing the closure on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cRunning a restaurant is tough at the best of times and as things have continued to mount up against us, we\u2019ve decided the best thing to do is move on.\u201d<\/p>\n Kommune Snack Bar<\/p>\n Location: 11931 Jasper Avenue<\/p>\n Closure date: June 13<\/p>\n Reason for closure: Owner told CityNews<\/a> construction outside their door, rising costs, and challenges facing independent businesses led to the decision.<\/p>\n Rhubarb Caf\u00e9 & Cocktails<\/p>\n Location: 12020 107 Avenue NW (Manchester Square)<\/p>\n Closure date: July 3<\/p>\n Reason for closure : Owner told CityNews<\/a> they were expecting more customers into the spring and summer without events like Oilers playoffs.<\/p>\n Wilfred\u2019s<\/p>\n Location: 10429 121 Street NW<\/p>\n Closure date: July 26<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Khazana-scaled-e1780443124585-1024x577.jpg\")
The Khazana on Windermere Boulevard. (Courtesy: Facebook\/Khazana Restaurant)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CONSTRUCTION-BLOCKING-PLAYWRIGHTS-FRONT-DOOR-MAY-15-2025.jpg\")
Construction on 99 Street blocking PlayWright, the third restaurant to announce its closure in a month, seen on June 25, 2026 (CityNews)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Greta-Edmonton--e1784646581600.jpg\")
Greta is closing its downtown Edmonton location, citing construction woes. (CityNews)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Rhubarb.jpg\")
The lettering for Rhubarb Caf\u00e9 & Cocktails, seen July 5, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n
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