COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to businesses across Winnipeg, but the city’s West End is trying to generate interest in local gems that have weathered the storm with New Business Week — a celebration of the 60 businesses that took the risk of opening shop during the pandemic.West End BIZ executive director Joe Kornelsen said that while seeing the 60 new businesses take on the challenge and make it through the year despite all the struggles is a positive sign for the area, the neighbourhood also lost 90 businesses due to the pandemic’s effects.
Push to shop local is working, Winnipeg business owners say “That’s an awful number, a very concerning number — and something we worked very hard to try to prevent happen,” Kornelsen told.