HERE - Prairie Pacific Pubs
HERE - Prairie Pacific Pubs
HERE - Prairie Pacific Pubs
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PROFILE<br />
Entertainment is the key and “serious fun in everything we<br />
do” is the motto for an exciting new chain of pubs in<br />
Edmonton - the Hudsons Canadian Tap House, located in<br />
four distinct clientele-drawing sections of the city.<br />
Surveying the bar scene and finding an abundance of Irish<br />
and English themed pubs, a<br />
group of low profile investors in<br />
Edmonton came up with the idea<br />
of launching a truly Canadian<br />
themed pub - in décor, menu, and<br />
marquée events. Starting with a<br />
concept pub on the south side of<br />
Edmonton in 2003, they brought in live entertainment<br />
and created a sports focused atmosphere,<br />
realizing “there are lots of sports that define what<br />
Canada is.” They honed their theme in a short<br />
44 www.barandbeverage.com / Bar & Beverage Business
y Colleen Stewart<br />
Photography by Ed Ellis<br />
period of time, closed down that pub, decided against live<br />
entertainment, and developed a more efficient supply chain.<br />
They then launched the opening of four pubs in key locations<br />
in rapid order that built on the great northern spirit of Canada,<br />
“where every day is Canada Day,” and featuring a truly<br />
delicious and varied higherend<br />
pub menu, as well as<br />
loads of entertainment<br />
options.<br />
Matt Salucop, Marketing<br />
Manager for Hudsons Canadian<br />
Tap House, relates that<br />
they launched the first site in Old Strathcona<br />
on Whyte Avenue, where they have attracted<br />
the sports enthused younger clientele. It<br />
was on that site that Salucop first got<br />
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The bar provides an ambiance<br />
that is suitable for both<br />
business lunches and a party<br />
night on the weekend.<br />
involved with Hudsons as a bartender<br />
while working his way through a business<br />
degree at the University of Alberta.<br />
Their next site was in Oliver Square<br />
downtown, drawing in the 25-40 year<br />
old demographic and students from<br />
Grant MacEwan College.<br />
They next<br />
opened on the University<br />
of Alberta campus<br />
at the former Scholars<br />
site (formerly The<br />
Library) where they<br />
have attracted university<br />
students as well<br />
as faculty and staff.<br />
Then, in July 2008, a<br />
fourth Hudsons<br />
opened in prime West<br />
Edmonton Mall on<br />
Bourbon Street,<br />
Some of the<br />
big draws of<br />
Hudsons<br />
Canadian Tap<br />
House are their<br />
nightly marquée<br />
specials at all<br />
locations,<br />
appealing to lots of<br />
shoppers and tourists. You’d think they’d<br />
be concerned with two pubs so close in<br />
locale, (Whyte Avenue and U of A site),<br />
but they’ve actually both been very successful.<br />
Hoping to standardize operations as<br />
efficiently as possible while still a smaller<br />
company in Edmonton, Hudsons is<br />
looking to expand in Calgary, Western<br />
Canada, and across the country. Developing<br />
a host of activities that will create<br />
entertainment experiences for a new<br />
generation, the parent company of<br />
Gateway Entertainment<br />
feels they’ve<br />
now got the concept<br />
down well. This begs<br />
the question about<br />
franchising and yes,<br />
that’s a definite possibility,<br />
Salucop says,<br />
once they feel they<br />
have concentrated a<br />
little more on human<br />
resources, cost control<br />
systems, and<br />
front- and back-ofhouse<br />
training.<br />
Some of the big<br />
draws of Hudsons Canadian Tap House<br />
are their nightly marquée specials at all<br />
locations, such as Halftizer Tuesdays,<br />
and Mini Burger Thursdays, as well as<br />
the Canadian House Party on Saturdays,<br />
which brings in the most business,<br />
Salucop says. A weekly pub<br />
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Dark rich tones help to create an<br />
authentic pub atmosphere.<br />
Menu selections<br />
such as Soup du<br />
Jour are touted<br />
to be “delicious<br />
in either of<br />
our official<br />
languages.<br />
crawl sponsored by Gateway Entertainment<br />
that takes in Hudsons as<br />
well as other pubs can be booked<br />
online through Ticket Master for reasonable<br />
rates, encouraging responsible<br />
drinking amongst groups traveling<br />
together. These events can be<br />
keyed to special holidays and celebrations<br />
like the recent Mardi Gras,<br />
and St. Patrick’s Day.<br />
One of the challenges Hudsons has<br />
seen relates to developing food menu<br />
consistency. They found for example<br />
that one site was not making the same<br />
burger as another site and shortly there-<br />
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Congratulations<br />
from<br />
Sani-Service<br />
Edmonton.<br />
Very proud to be suppliers of hand soaps,<br />
sanitization, germ and odor control programs<br />
for the Hudsons Group.<br />
780-448-0977<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Bar & Beverage Business / www.barandbeverage.com 49
Hudsons private room and bar overflow.<br />
after sourced a local supplier who<br />
could make them fresh, not frozen.<br />
Thus, Hudsons is proud to say that their<br />
beef burger choices are “Fresh Never<br />
Frozen Hudsons own seasoned, hand<br />
pressed 8-oz beef patties made from<br />
the freshest Grain Fed AAA Alberta<br />
Ground Chuck.” This and other challenges<br />
have been met with great support<br />
and credit goes to the operations<br />
team at head office, says Salucop.<br />
The menu specializes in burgers and<br />
wings, although they have also developed<br />
several creative choices amongst<br />
which are a selection of soups and<br />
greens, sammies on panini loaves, and<br />
traditional entrées. Menu selections<br />
such as the Soup du Jour are touted to<br />
be “delicious in either of our official<br />
languages. The Sault Ste. Marie Chicken<br />
Salad and Maple BBQ Baby Back<br />
Ribs, the Cowpoke Steak Sandwich, PEI<br />
potato skins, and Atlantic Butterfly<br />
Shrimp are just a few examples of how<br />
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Springboard is proud to be a<br />
Hudsons Canadian Taphouse<br />
Business Partner<br />
Treat every client as an individual!<br />
Springboard Communication Inc.<br />
11817 - 105 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5H 0L9<br />
708.447.1226 • 1.888.441.1226<br />
We’re in good company<br />
Two of the world’s highest quality and most recognized names in Foodservice<br />
Frenched<br />
Lamb Rack<br />
Frenched Bone-In Rib Steak<br />
See our other great products @<br />
www.intercitypackers.ca<br />
VANCOUVER<br />
(604) 291-7791<br />
1-800-465-5545<br />
EDMONTON<br />
(780) 477-7373<br />
1-800-661-5183<br />
TORONTO<br />
(905) 670-1023<br />
1-866-665-1066<br />
Bar & Beverage Business / www.barandbeverage.com 51
The mission<br />
statement for<br />
Gateway and<br />
Hudsons is<br />
“to actualize<br />
positive reactions<br />
in all of our<br />
customers.”<br />
The bar provides both prompt and<br />
friendly service.<br />
this company has focused on Canadiana<br />
in the menu to appeal to its young,<br />
energetic crowd, who are seeking just<br />
that Canadian identification.<br />
Experiencing the ambiance of the<br />
West Edmonton Mall Hudsons, with its<br />
prompt, friendly service, is like walking<br />
into a classy party at a friend’s private<br />
club - surrounded by elegant, warm,<br />
dark wooden counters; a variety of bar<br />
stool, bench, or tabled arrangements; a<br />
number of discreet, but also proudly displayed<br />
Canadian flags in eye-level niches;<br />
and no less than 37 LCD screens<br />
throughout the bar for sports viewing of<br />
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The menu for the bar specializes in burgers and wings, but is also developing several creative<br />
choices for patrons’ palates.<br />
Oilers and Eskimo games. The atmosphere<br />
is relaxing, soothing, suitable for<br />
a business or casual lunch during the<br />
day, and a few cold ones, and revs up<br />
for party night on the weekends. Customers<br />
have enthusiastically commented<br />
about the authentic artifacts and decor,<br />
the Canadiana we hunger for - oak<br />
tubs, maple leaf pails, wagon wheels,<br />
lobster traps, the beaver, and nary a<br />
suggestion of feigned Irish or English<br />
antiquities in the entire place.<br />
The mission statement for Gateway<br />
and Hudsons is “to actualize positive<br />
reactions in all of our customers, staff,<br />
suppliers, and people we serve.” They<br />
feel they have met a good balance in<br />
the city without over-saturating their<br />
concept. Their focus now is to continue<br />
to build on the Canadiana model, continue<br />
to attract the clientele in the<br />
diverse demographic that has responded<br />
to the key concepts with such enthusiasm,<br />
and to look forward to expansion.<br />
They have tapped into a truly spirited<br />
Canadian archetype in the bar and<br />
beverage industry that`s been long<br />
overdue and Hudsons is sure to enjoy<br />
continued success with its pivotal concept<br />
now that it’s been announced<br />
Edmonton will host the 2010 Grey<br />
Cup. Watch out!<br />
♣<br />
Congratulations<br />
Proud Suppliers of<br />
Hudsons Canadian Tap House<br />
BROKEL<br />
STAINLESS<br />
Brokel IndustrIes Inc.<br />
10917-120st. edmonton AB. t5H 3P9<br />
tel (780) 447-1730,1-800-447-6980 Fax (780) 447-1731<br />
www.BrItesteel.com<br />
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