Stella’s closing restaurant at Winnipeg airport citing drop in customers due to coronavirus

Stella’s is shutting down it’s restaurant at Winnipeg’s James Richardson International Airport.

In a release Friday the locally-owned restaurant chain said a drop in customers as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to the decision to close up shop.

“Unfortunately, due to the severe decline in air traffic and the long-term outlook resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is with very heavy hearts that we must announce the difficult decision to close the Stella’s airport location,” said Rob Del Grosso, vice president at Stella’s.

“Stella’s 36 airport staff members have been notified of the upcoming closure and they will have the opportunity to apply for positions at our other Stella’s locations.”

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The restaurant is slated to shut Oct. 16, and will be the second Stella’s location to close since coronavirus arrived in Manitoba in March.

The chain announced its Osborne Village location– the first to open in the city — would close in May, again citing a drop in customers due to the pandemic.

Earlier this month the Winnipeg Airports Authority said it’s projecting a $45-million deficit this year, according to data from its 2019 annual report.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, Winnipeg’s airport saw as few as 56 passengers a day, which is down significantly from the daily average of 13,000.

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