Duckworth Dining initiative aims to increase business

A new online initiative calledDuckworth Diningis aimingto bring more customers and business to Duckworth Streetin St. John's.

Kate Vallis, owner of PiattoPizzeria + Enoteca, said she has seen a drop off in business because of pandemic-related public health measuresand customers flocking to the Water Street pedestrian mall.

"All of these Duckworth Streetamazing businesses and restaurants are all still here," Vallis said. "There's restaurants that have been here for 20 years, there's restaurants that opened this year.

"They all provide a great variety of food, amazing service, and we want to remind people to come back up to this street and spend a little time with us this summer."

Vallis said the lost business has added to what has already been a troubling year for business.

"2020 in general, for everyone, has presented a fair share of challenges," Vallis said. "And then everyone on Duckworth Street was hit with an extra challenge, outside of the regular COVID challenges, when the pedestrian mall excluded one specific street, which would be Duckworth Street."

Vu Restaurant owner Barry Bennett saidpatios on Duckworth Street,similar to those at the pedestrian mall, aren't seeing the same successes.

"We put our patio out here to try and keep up with some business, and try to keep up with some Water Street business down there. But it doesn't seem to work out too well for us yet," he said. "Seems like everyone wants to be either on Water Street or they want to eat inside the dining room."

There are 15 restaurants taking part in Duckworth Dining, allowing diners to fill their "dining passport" at different restaurants on the street. The more stamps customers collect, the better the chance they have at winning a grand prize draw in August.

Vallis said the project was born out of collaboration with other restaurants and businesses following a conference call with the City of St. John's. After learning Duckworth Street wouldn't be a part of the pedestrian mall this year, business owners starting thinking about what they could do to help their businesses.

"We decided that the best thing that we could do would be to come together as a community," Vallis said. "Instead of looking at each other as competition, we looked at each other as teammates and a community and thought, 'Let's just try to build it up together.'"

She hopes the initiative, along with good summer weather and the expansion of outdoor patios, can help businesses thrive in the coming weeks.

"It is making a really big difference, and it's so nice to be able to offer our guests that option to enjoy outdoor dining as well as indoor dining."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador