Rotating pop-ups to take over empty Station Park food hall space

A food pop-up is coming to the vacant space left by Epic Food Market at Station Park. CTV News Edmonton's Evan Kenny has the details.

Whyte Avenue’s Station Park, which lost a major tenant in Epic Market earlier this year, will soon feature rotating pop-up events aimed at increasing foot traffic.

Five local restaurants are slated to set up shop this weekend at the empty food hall amid a crowd of ‘For Lease’ signs on store fronts at the corner of Whyte Avenue and Gateway Boulevard.

Ramen restaurant Menya Mori and Tokyo street food staple Dorinku, for example, are calling Station Park home for the next four weeks.

“This is a pretty unique opportunity that we’re presented, to be in one of the most vibrant communities in Edmonton,” Menya Mori owner Allen Gao said.

The success of the shop’s brick-and-mortar on 124 Street made Gao think joining the rotation would help him scope out other customers.

Harley Glugosh of Last Call Vintage and Thrift, which also operates in the area, hopes the new pop-ups remind Edmontonians of the corner’s value.

“I think when people come and experience it, they’re going to want to stay. Creating traffic down here keeps this corner alive,” he said.

Epic Market, which previously occupied the food hall, announced it was unable to keep up the “Herculean task” of staying without parking or foot traffic.

The Old Strathcona Business Association says the pop-up format is meant to give different businesses a chance to meet a new crowd, and vice versa by removing the pressure of a long-term lease.

“Keeping businesses open is about supports and understanding and being able to advocate on their behalf,” executive director Andrea Donini said.

She says the collaboration should hopefully pique the interest of new audiences.

The Station Park food pop-up runs every Thursday through Sunday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Kenny