Local pub rebrands
Paddy’s Pub on St. Albert Trail is no more. Owner Ken Shebib closed the Irish pub on Oct. 11. In a quick three-week turnaround, he renovated the venue and rebranded it as Thirsty Rooster Trail Eatery and Bar.
“There was a sea of Irish pubs in St. Albert. I got to know some of the other owners in St. Albert and I decided to offer something different,” said Shebib.
Red Seal Chef Kendall Bouvette, a former competitor on 2015 Chopped Canada Teen Tournament, has revamped the menu. Structural renos include a shortened bar, extended seating, a paint job, and an emphasis on good food.
“We’re trying to cater to more of a broader stroke than what a pub would attract. We have smoked meats, pizzas, salads. We have a dozen selections of craft beer. We’re partnering with five local breweries to make craft beers from Thirsty Rooster recipes. And under this concept we use more local producers — meat from Smokin’ Elk Ranch in Morinville, poultry from the colony, and others,” Shebib said.
On its Facebook page, Thirsty Rooster has also posted several fundraisers it plans to host, including a steak and lobster dinner for Jenna’s Wish on Dec. 9 and a Dad Bod calendar competition.
The venue is located at 388 St. Albert Trail.
Shop 7 in 7
Every well-run town in the province is hosting promotions to encourage residents to spend local during the biggest buying season. Morinville is bringing back the Shop 7 in 7 and Win Contest, a rebrand of a successful economic development campaign run in the spring of 2021.
The holiday promotion encourages Morinville and Sturgeon County consumers to shop at seven different Morinville businesses in a designated seven-day period and submit photos of their receipts. The town then makes a weekly draw for a $100 gift card and the winner selects a card from a Morinville retailer.
“It could be anything from a law office to a 7-Eleven to a gas station. You could even get a card for the Morinville Farmers’ Market. That way, it’s very far reaching,” said Troy Grainger, Morinville economic development officer.
Five weekly draws will take place. The final draw also includes a grand prize gift card of $500. All eligible entries will be entered for the big prize.
The seven-day shopping period runs Saturday to Friday each week. A photo of receipts is due by Saturday and draws are on Sunday. The first draw took place on Dec. 5 and the final draw is on Jan. 3.
The month-long promotion is open only to Morinville and Sturgeon County residents. Photos of receipts must be submitted by email to [email protected]. Rules are available on the website at www.morinville.ca.
Economy
The non-profit Angus Reid Institute released a report on Dec. 2 which said 40 per cent of online shoppers and 49 per cent of in-person shoppers had difficulty finding what they want to purchase. While COVID and climate change are washing out traditional routes of delivery, pundits suggest consumers develop a degree of shopping flexibility to avoid disappointment.
