Paddlewheel among older restaurants passing the torch

The Paddlewheel restaurant, which has served customers in the old Bay building downtown since 1954, closed its doors for good, Thursday.

So many people turned up to say goodbye it ran out of food and had to close early.

“I feel very sad,” said Ann Mechlair, who came to enjoy one last lunch. “I had three friends that I worked with and we came at least three times a week.”

The Paddlewheel joins a list of Winnipeg food institutions saying good bye including Papa George’s, The Wagon Wheel and Kelekis.

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“Sometimes we see places closing, a lot of time because the family doesn’t want to take it on, the family has gone on to education,” said Jino Distasio, the direction of the Institute of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg.

“For every restaurant that closes, I think there is another opportunity that has opened up,” said Distasio.

Silver Heights Restaurant isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

It started Jim Siwicki’s dad in 1957 and now his two sons are taking over.

“All I tell them is it’s like keeping a 50 year old car running 100 miles and hour every day,” Siwicki said. “Everybody can’t figured out that we weathered all the the storms and bumped up against all the big guys.”

Stella’s café is quickly becoming one of the big guys. The Winnipeg restaurant opened six locations in 14 years.

“It starts with a lot of word of mouth and we created a lot of ongoing customers since then,” said Meghan Thiessen, an assistant general manager with Stella’s. “I think that this is only the beginning of Stella’s. I think that it is going to continue and grow in Winnipeg and beyond.”