‘Our little magnet’: 529 Uptown opens its doors

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This article was published 06/03/2024 (596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been broiling on low heat for some time, but 529 Uptown is finally in business in the lobby of the 201 Portage Ave. high rise.

The sister establishment to the successful 529 Wellington steak house took a full year longer to open its doors than was first announced in the fall 2022.

Doug Stephen, the impresario at Wow Hospitality, said he’s excited and hopeful about the venture, despite the extra-long journey to get here.

The main-floor 61-seat bistro will feature some classics from the 529 Wellington menu and some exciting additions, he said Tuesday.

As well as the bistro — reservations will be accepted starting today — Wow is also opening 529 Burger in the concourse level of 201 Portage Ave. (where the bistro’s kitchen will be located). It is also opening a coffee bar on the other side of the escalators.

Stephen said the liquor licence allows the bistro to expand to use 19 more seats in the coffee bar area, if the demand presents itself.

Even though its entering a market that already boasts Hy’s Steakhouse across the street in the Richardson Building and a newly opened Earls restaurant a block away at 300 Main St., Stephen believes his brand will add something to the hospitality offerings of the busy downtown business district.

Stephen, sole proprietor of Wow Hospitality, having bought out former partners a few years ago, said he has recovered from the illness that kept him in hospital for weeks at a time over the past few years.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the industry, Stephen said he was in no rush to open 529 Uptown and was waiting for downtown traffic to return.

With 201 Portage now at 85 per cent occupancy on an ongoing basis, Stephen believes the time is right.

“Fingers crossed,” he said. “This is going to be our little magnet for helping people to get back downtown.”

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca