Canal Park businesses face difficult times through the winter
Amazing Grace in DeWitt Seitz building in Canal Park. Photo by Izabel Johnson
Canal Park is a flourishing tourist area during Duluth summers, which makes it a central hub for many businesses. But, when temperatures drop and the sand on the beach is replaced with snow, these establishments face a major challenge.
The cold weather in Minnesota prevents many people from leaving their homes and tourists from visiting during the winter. This means that local businesses see a major drop in sales during the weekdays of the colder months. This can significantly alter the strategy of many business owners and the morale of their staff.
“Our lunch is definitely slower, so nobody really wants to work the mornings,” the bar manager at 310 Pub, Donald Soulak, said about the slower months. “Morale [is] definitely low...We actually stopped opening up Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.”
This is not unique to 310 Pub. Most businesses in the area practice a similar strategy.
Sam Connolly pictured at The Blue Herron store in the DeWitt-Seitz building. Photo by Izabel Johnson
“We cut the amount of staff that’s on per shift almost in half, if not more,” Jacquelyn Evans, the general manager at Green Mill Restaurant and Bar, said.
Canal Park consists mainly of restaurants, hotels, cafes, and shops that line the boardwalk along the shore of Lake Superior. They center around major attractions such as the Aerial Lift Bridge and the DECC.
It seems as if there is always something happening in the Canal Park area during the summer, but often winter events only occur on the weekends. Due to this major change in activity, even with added events, business rates can be unpredictable.
Jordyn Spry, an employee at the Caribou Coffee located in Canal, shared her experience with the unpredictability of business in the area.
“Sometimes there will be like a Bulldog game and we are understaffed...and we are like screwed, ya know?” Spry said.
For this reason, many businesses keep a close eye on scheduled events, such as the Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” and hockey games or concerts that take place at the DECC.
“Bentleyville really makes our rushes at night,” Spry said. “We are pretty steady throughout Bentleyville season.”
Unpredictability is not the only obstacle faced by Canal Park staff.
“A con [to being located in Canal Park is] definitely parking,” Soulak said.
Canal Park is a condensed area, and because of this, most buildings are within walking distance of each other and a majority of the available space is used by venues. This leaves little room for parking lots.
Most places do not have a parking lot specific to their business and the majority of Canal Park lots require a permit or payment to park.
“We have four metered spots in front, which...are filled up...with people that don’t even come here,” Soulak stated in regards to the parking at 310 Pub.
The view of Canal Park from the DeWitt-Seitz patio. Photo by Izabel Johnson
Free parking is available in the Canal lots and meters from Oct.15 to May 14. However, even with this perk, there are often not enough spaces. This can deter people from frequenting the businesses.
“Parking is a main concern of mine...there really isn’t a place to park and that’s a big problem,” Evans said. “I think a ramp would be huge.”
With the negatives of Canal Park, there also comes positives.
When bartender Chris Loudon was asked about the positives of working in Canal Park, he simply said, “cash.”
Loudon is a bartender at Green Mill Restaurant and Bar and has been an employee at the establishment for 20 years.
“You have a really nice mix,” Loudon said when comparing the clientele of Canal Park to other locations where he was previously employed. “You have students, you have locals, you have tourists.”