- Don'ya Ukraine's Kitchen held a free Zumba class that nobody attended despite invites sent to 13,000 people and several registrations.
- The restaurant rescheduled the class for Tuesday and a few people showed up. Co-founder Janice Krissa says they'll keep trying.
- Krissa says construction outside the restaurant cut sales in half and it's really tough to do business downtown.
- Krissa warns there is only so long they can survive given high costs for staff, rent, bills, and food.
- Several downtown businesses have closed this summer, citing construction and reduced foot traffic.
Don'ya Ukraine's Kitchen in downtown Edmonton is grappling with significant challenges as construction disrupts business. A recent free Zumba class saw no attendees, despite outreach to 13,000 people. Co-founder Janice Krissa expressed disappointment, stating, “It’s really tough to do business” in the area.12367810
The restaurant's social media post reflected their struggles: “Downtown isn’t always easy,” they wrote, noting that they set up for the event but no one came. Krissa revealed that construction has halved their sales, saying, “That really hurts.” In response to the lack of attendance, they rescheduled the class, which saw a few participants show up.45
Krissa emphasized the importance of community, stating, “If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that building community means showing up — even when it’s hard.” The situation is compounded by broader issues in downtown Edmonton, where several businesses have closed due to similar construction woes and reduced foot traffic.
Downtown councillor Anne Stevenson acknowledged the need for a more business-friendly construction policy to alleviate the burden on local businesses. She noted that while measures like paid parking and patio fees aim to reduce property tax pressure, they can adversely affect businesses.
Krissa voiced her concerns about the restaurant's sustainability, stating, “There’s only so long that we can survive, right?” She highlighted the financial pressures of paying staff, rent, and rising food costs, underscoring the precarious situation for many downtown establishments.
“Construction outside Don'ya Ukraine's Kitchen has cut its sales in half, co-founder Janice Krissa told CityNews. The restaurant rescheduled its class and a few people attended, but Krissa warns they can only survive so long given high costs, as several downtown businesses have closed this summer citing construction.”
