An upcoming Edmonton restaurant will be the successor of a Jasper deli that was destroyed in the 2024 wildfire.
Wendy and Glen Leitch, owners of the 20-year-old Patricia Street Deli, were originally hopeful they could return to the town in Jasper National Park and reopen the sandwich shop.
But in the seven months since the fire, the couple says they’ve realized the dream isn’t feasible between a lack of space to lease, many of their employees losing their homes and uncertainty around rebuilding timelines.
“Out of the ashes comes opportunity. … One of the opportunities is here in this space and the community that we have here since we’ve moved back,” Glen told CTV News Edmonton in a recent interview at an empty commercial space at 10567 111 St.
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The Leitch family – including Glen and Wendy’s daughter and son, who are taking on more managing duties – have big plans for 230-square metre space: a full restaurant with an open kitchen, a bar, a mezzanine for offices, an electric fireplace, and – of course – an eat-in sandwich bar.
“It’s going to become the new Patricia Street Deli. It’s very exciting,” Wendy said.
The space is more room than they could have ever imagined in Jasper. After a renovation, the space’s cooler will be larger than the entire Jasper deli was.
“In Jasper, we had one door in, one door out. Here, we have a loading dock so when the ship and product come in, they go straight to the coolers and the freezers,” Glen said.
Although they are now planning to retire in Edmonton, they don’t consider it starting over.
“We’re starting new in many ways,” Wendy said.
But not without paying homage to the past; some of the original Patricia Street Deli’s features will be brought to Edmonton. For example, in Jasper, the deli’s walls were covered in signatures of visitors from all over the world. Before the business was demolished, Wendy and Glen had pictures taken of the signatures to incorporate into the new restaurant’s decor.
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The couple has also promised jobs to any of their Jasper employees who relocate to Alberta’s capital.
And they plan on continuing the deli’s tradition of naming menu items after regulars and supporters. As a fundraiser for the new business, they are selling branded merchandise, menu naming rights, catering gift certificates and even a bike ride with Glen.
“We’re really happy with the donations that are coming in. Donations from all across Canada, a few of the States, Europe, Australia,” Wendy said.
Glen added, “Our hearts are here, our families are here, and our friends and acquaintances and our business is going to be here.”
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Matt Marshall
