Food And Drinks

Extra Regina companies shut down as a result of financial lengthy COVID

By Frank C. Bonner

  1. Local News

Fat Plant Farms is closing its doors at the end of the month. The Lancaster Tap House and Warehouse Brewing have already closed.

Kait Waugh is the owner of Fat Plant Farms, stands inside her store on Monday, December 5, 2022 in Regina. Waugh announced her store will be closing for good at the end of this month. Kait Waugh is the owner of Fat Plant Farms, stands inside her store on Monday, December 5, 2022 in Regina. Waugh announced her store will be closing for good at the end of this month. Photo by TROY FLEECE /Regina Leader-Post

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more Regina businesses, leave one of those owners to worry that other small businesses struggling to stay afloat may soon find their heads below the water.

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Plant retailer Fat Plant Farm is closing its doors at the end of the month, its owner said, citing financial strain from the pandemic.

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“We’re closing our doors with great sadness. If we could keep going, we would,” Kait Waugh said Monday.

Two other businesses, the Lancaster Tap House in Harbour Landing, and Warehouse Brewing, saw their doors close over the weekend on Friday and Saturday.

“If people do have the financial means to go out and support some of their local favourite small businesses, those purchases make a huge impact right now and can mean the difference between having those businesses stay open or close their doors,” Waugh added.

Waugh explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a “plant boom” as people began think about customizing their homes and work spaces, which helped business temporarily.

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The pandemic also brought other challenges, such as supply chains being stretched thin and the price of food, fuel and other items rising.

The business, which opened its retail location in June 2018, had a “challenging” time as it moved online, Waugh said. The business had been struggling for months before the decision to close was made. Waugh said work shops may still be offered.

“We weren’t expecting the fallout from COVID, where people are experiencing price increases all across the board just for their every day living expenses and as well as for our business,” she added, explaining it got more expensive to buy plants and supplies.

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Expect more small business closures, says business owner

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The demise of the Lancaster’s Harbour Landing happened prematurely and owner Tim Rogers said on Monday it had been a “heartbreaking couple of weeks.” The business has another location downtown on Hamilton Street.

“It’s 100 per cent COVID fallout,” Rogers said of the closure.

“Our business was just about debt free going into March 2020 and there were subsidies and loans to help us get us through the pandemic but those kind of dropped off and business still hadn’t picked up,” he explained.

The Lancaster had only got back about 70 per cent of its pre-pandemic profits and after a slow summer with the loans coming up due, the decision was made to close.

“There’s a real crisis in small business in this city, province, probably across the country right now,” Rogers said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

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There were about 20 to 25 employees at the tap house, some of them have moved to the downtown location but most were laid off, Rogers added.

“I know there’s more (business closures) to come to be announced in the next little bit from the people I’ve talked to,” Rogers said.

In an Instagram post, Warehouse Brewing thanked customers who supported them since opening, citing financial difficulties as reasons for the closure. While it was too late for Warehouse Brewing, the business urged customers to patronize other craft breweries.

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