The Pulse
June 6, 2024

Beloved Edmonton restaurants Padmanadi and Seoul Fried Chicken expanded to Calgary last year. But while both continue to chase success in Alberta's largest city, each has done so using a different recipe.

"I kind of love what I do now because I don't have to be on the floor 14 hours a day, six days a week," Padmanadi co-owner Maya Richmond told Taproot, adding that succeeding in Calgary has proven different from home. "In Edmonton, people come looking for us, instead of us going to look for people."

Richmond, her husband, and their two-year-old daughter moved from Edmonton to Calgary in 2023 to open a Padmanadi just steps from Southcentre Mall and the Heritage LRT station in Calgary's suburban southwest. In Edmonton, her father, sister, and brother-in-law now run the two other locations. The original downtown restaurant, which offers Indonesian vegan food, traces back 22 years, while the family opened the south side spot in 2019.

"Calgary is a different demographic because the city is so huge," Richmond said. "I do like Calgary. I miss home because Edmonton is always home. It's only been about nine months now and so far, so good."

Seoul Fried Chicken, which specializes in Korean fried chicken, is taking a far faster approach to its Calgary expansion. The first Calgary SFC opened in June 2023 in bustling Mission, and SFC partner Suzanna Yu said the team is already working on another potential location in the suburban northeast, near local takeout favourite Seniore's Pizza. Yu said SFC hopes to open the new Calgary spot this year. On top of that, Yu said the company will soft launch a third Edmonton outpost, at North Town Centre, in mid-June. The two 2024 openings follow the 2023 opening in Calgary, the downtown Edmonton location in 2022, and the Gateway Boulevard location in 2016.

In July 2023, When Taproot first caught up with Padmanadi and SFC about their expansions into Calgary, Richmond said rent is roughly 20% more expensive in Calgary. Yu, meanwhile, noted SFC planned to offer a duplicate menu to its Edmonton locations. Like Richmond, Yu relocated to Calgary in part to ensure the success of the expansion.

Edmonton contributing restaurants to Calgary is nothing new. Pho Hoan Pasteur, which started at its Kingsway Avenue location, now has four locations each in Edmonton and Calgary, plus one in Fort Saskatchewan. Doughnut Party is making progress in Calgary, too, given it has three Edmonton shops and one that opened in Calgary in March. The historic success story is Boston Pizza, which has expanded to more than 400 restaurants since opening its first in Edmonton in 1964.

Richmond and Yu have different experiences as they work on their expansions into Calgary. Richmond said it's difficult to go from a legacy destination to the "new kid on the block." Yu, on the other hand, doesn't notice much difference between the towns.

"I feel like our demographics throughout the two cities have been very similar, though (we attract) high school students more so in Calgary because we're close to two high schools," Yu said. "A lot of people who are in university or who are in high school, they see us as a really good deal compared to going somewhere for fast food."

• Boyle Street Community Services has for the second time had its permit revoked for a proposed health hub and overdose prevention site in what is currently a commercial building in Ritchie, a block south of Whyte Avenue. The City of Edmonton's subdivision and development appeal board released its decision on an appeal from May, stating that plans for the site failed on aspects of crime prevention and didn't consult with the City's heritage planner. Boyle Street said it remains committed to "ensuring that this essential service is available" and will consult legal counsel.
• The City of Edmonton's fee for paper and reusable bags will increase on July 1. Currently, paper bags cost at least 15 cents and reusable bags cost at least $1. On July 1, the prices will increase to at least 25 cents and at least $2, respectively. Surveys have shown Edmontonians have mixed views on the policy, and a majority of businesses oppose it. Calgary city council repealed a similar policy in May. More information about Edmonton's single-use item reduction bylaw, including guides for businesses, is available on the City's website.
• Ardrossan, a hamlet in Strathcona County, has seen its population double to 1,000 in the past 10 years, with new developments expected to increase the population sixfold. With record year-over-year population growth in Edmonton, developers and officials see Ardrossan as an opportunity to address the surge in new residents, CBC reported. Meanwhile, the upcoming Bremner development northeast of Sherwood Park is expected to accommodate nearly 80,000 residents.
• Jim Gurnett of the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness and Sam Mason of the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights spoke to CTV News about the province's navigation and support centre for people experiencing homelessness, saying the funds would be better spent supporting existing social services organizations. Premier Danielle Smith dismissed the criticism, saying the province is best positioned to coordinate among various jurisdictions and agencies. The centre opened in downtown Edmonton in January after police ramped up encampment sweeps, and the province plans to launch a similar model in Calgary in July. The City of Edmonton says 2,191 encampments have been removed since Jan. 17.
• Next week, Edmonton city council will review a letter sent in April from the Edmonton Police Commission in response to a December motion asking the commission to provide council with its audits of the Edmonton Police Service. The commission said it will not provide council "information relating to the internal audit plan of the EPS." Coun. Keren Tang, who introduced the motion, said she was disappointed because her goal was to increase police accountability and transparency.
• The City of Edmonton has several opportunities for residents to celebrate Bike Month this June, including City-led educational rides and various pre-planned routes to follow on your own. The City also created a map of businesses providing special offers for people who cycle to their establishment.
• Alberta Health Services is the subject of a class-action lawsuit filed April 26 in Calgary on behalf of a group of clinical assistants and clinical and surgical assistants. The workers allege that AHS consistently told them they are exempt from overtime pay, which they say is against provincial law, and some claim to have worked shifts longer than 12 hours. The statement of claim says about 228 AHS staff would be part of the class action, plus people who are no longer with AHS. The class action has not yet been certified in court.
• Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said his "veteran team" is not intimidated by the fast, "in-your face" game played by the Florida Panthers as the teams get ready to face off in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 8.
• CBC's This is Edmonton podcast spoke to hockey fans about their experience following the playoffs, and the prospect of the Edmonton Oilers becoming the first Canadian team in 18 years to win the Stanley Cup.
• Celebrated Edmonton-born rapper Cadence Weapon is releasing a sequel to his 2017 single "Connor McDavid" to celebrate the Edmonton Oilers reaching the Stanley Cup Final. "Connor McDavid (2024 Stanley Cup Version)" is set to drop on streaming platforms on June 7. The artist shared a preview of the track on social media.

Here are opportunities to help shape municipal decision-making about public safety, street safety, mobility, and more. Please only complete surveys if you are part of the target audience or a resident of the affected municipality.

• Regulating the Retail Sale of Knives — In response to concerns about youth using knives in crimes, City of Edmonton administration is considering bylaw amendments to regulate sales in retail stores. Businesses with opinions about the regulation of knife sales are asked to email the City. Edmontonians who have purchased or may purchase knives can complete an online survey until June 9.
• Towards 40: Wagner Road — The City of Edmonton is looking to make safety adjustments to Wagner Road, between 75 Street to 86 Street, as part of its Towards 40 project. Users of the street can share their suggestions and experiences through an online survey until June 14.
• Moving Together: Building a Connected City for All — The City of St. Albert is working on a new mobility strategy that aims to improve the active transportation network and shape how citizens walk, roll, drive, or ride in the urban environment. Residents can share their experiences through an online survey until June 16.

More input opportunities

• Until June 9: City of Edmonton Youth Council (CEYC) Applications (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 9: La Perle Surplus School Site Rezoning (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 9: Lymburn Surplus School Site Rezoning (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 12: Vision Zero Street Labs in Wild Rose — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 12: Vision Zero Street Labs in Spruce Avenue — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 12: Vision Zero Street Labs in Glengarry — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 23: Ellerslie Rugby Club Site Rezoning (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 23: Jan Reimer Park Restoration — Planning (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 25: Vision Zero Street Labs in Beverly Heights — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 25: Vision Zero Street Labs in Britannia Youngstown — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 25: Vision Zero Street Labs in Delton — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until July 1: Bike Skills Park Feasibility Study (City of Fort Saskatchewan)
• Until July 2: Brand Strategy Survey (City of Spruce Grove)
• Until July 15: Housing Strategy — Survey (City of Spruce Grove)
• Until Aug. 2: Transit Master Plan — Update and Survey (Strathcona County)
• Until Aug. 31: Business Census (City of Edmonton)

Photo: In April, Edmonton city council's urban planning committee asked staff to develop options for regulating the sale of knives in retail spaces including convenience stores. (Kevin Holowack)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Alberta Community and Co-operative Association AGM starting at 9:30am online
• Homeless Memorial starting at 1pm at the Homeless Memorial Plaza
• Make Your Own Terrarium starting at 2pm at Lyall's Marketplace
• All in for Youth Open House starting at 4:30pm at John A. McDougall School
• Devon Days Kick-off BBQ starting at 5pm at the Devon Community Centre
• Thirsty Thursday starting at 6pm at Lyall's Marketplace
• Life Skills: Composting & Soil Building starting at 6:30pm at the Edmonton Public Library (Riverbend)
• Capital City in Conversation: City of Festivals starting at 7pm online

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• June 16: kihêw waciston Presents: Aysanabee at MacEwan University
• June 20: From Simulation to Real World: Bringing Health Tech to Market at NAIT
• June 26: Biomedical Engineering Research Day at the University of Alberta

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.