The hard times are starting to catch up with some Regina businesses as three local staples in the community are closing their doors for good.
In only a number of days from one another, Warehouse Brewing, Lancaster Taphouse and Fat Plant Farm have all announced they will be closing.
Friday, Dec. 2 will mark the final day Warehouse Brewing will have their doors open to the public.
“After 1.5 years of a massive building of the old Weston Bread Factory, Warehouse is officially closing their doors,” Warehouse Brewing said in an Instagram post.
“We have tried everything to keep the doors open, but sadly cannot financially continue to do so.”
The brewery thanked those who supported it and encouraged people to support other local craft breweries in the Queen City.
“It is too late for us, but please help other craft breweries thrive and succeed,” they said. “It’s been a ride, to say the least, and we are sad it’s over. Thank you and farewell, Regina, from all of us at the Warehouse Brewing Company.”
The Regina-based brewing company opened just five days before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
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Lancaster Taphouse also announced their Harbour Landing location will be closing after 11 years in Grasslands.
“It has been 11 unbelievably amazing years,” said Tim Rogers, the owner of Lancaster Taphouse. “We have met a lot of amazing people here over the years. Staff and customers and relationships that will last a lifetime.”
Rogers said the downtown location will remain open, but he won’t forget the memories he has at the Harbour Landing location, including celebrating a Saskatchewan Roughriders Grey Cup victory in 2013.
“This was our dream, and this was our baby,” Rogers said looking around the pub. “We are fortunate we have a location to continue on but it is heartbreaking to lose this place.”
Outside the restaurant industry, another Regina staple will also be closing its doors. Fat Plant Farm has been in Regina since February 2016.
Kait Waugh, the owner of Fat Plant Farm, said it is with mixed emotions she is closing up shop. She is thankful for so many memories and support over the years, but sad the journey is coming to an end.
“We are incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to share our passion for plants and we feel honored to have been a part of so many people’s plant journeys over the years,” she said.
Waugh said the decision to close came partly as a result of even more people getting into houseplants over the COVID-19 pandemic. And while it sounds like that would be good for business, it actually meant larger stores started stocking more plants.
“Our decision to close is in response to how houseplant needs have evolved and changed,” Fat Plant Farm said in a Facebook post. “We were thrilled to see so many folks discover the benefits of nurturing houseplants over the plant boom throughout the pandemic, but as your homes filled with plants, so did the shelves of many other stores, reducing the need for our niche shop.”
She said the physical store will close at the end of December but hopes there might be a chance to still serve some people online.
“I’ll never be done in the plant world,” said Waugh. “My house will always look like a little bit of a plant shop. As for the future, I’m hoping (my career) can be plant-based, I’m just not sure what that will be.”
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