Grey’s Social Eatery celebrates opening and the future of the ByWard Market

The past few weeks have been crunch time for the new team at Grey’s Social Eatery, but they got to reap the rewards Friday evening as the restaurant held its grand opening in an area of the city that has struggled in recent years.

The past few weeks have been crunch time for the new team at Grey’s Social Eatery, but they got to reap the rewards Friday evening as the restaurant held its grand opening in an area of the city that has struggled in recent years.  The former home of the Blue Cactus Bar and Grill on ByWard Market Square was updated with custom chandeliers and modern bar-tops, creating a modern-vintage space and featuring a menu of international and classic dishes.  Owner Abbis Mahmoud said the restaurant has been a hit with customers – and a trial by fire for employees – since it began operating earlier this month.  “We opened a week and a half ago and I told everybody not to come because I really wanted to practise everything (with my team),” he told OBJ. “But we’ve been getting full almost every night and, thank God, my staff has really delivered. There’s new systems and a new menu. We were hoping for a couple weeks to build it up, but right when we opened, people started coming. It’s been great.” Mahmoud, who is president of Dreammind Hospitality Group, is no stranger to the ByWard Market. Despite economic challenges on the horizon, he said he would have no qualms about investing in another business in the area.  “The Market has given a lot to me,” he said. “There’s a lot of countries around the world trying to get me to go and open up there, but I just have this attachment to Ottawa. In some small way, I want to help revitalize the Market, bring some excitement back.” Despite ongoing challenges, Lawry Trevor- Deutsch of Dreammind, said the ByWard Market has made changes recently that make it an attractive location.  “We’ve been looking to invest in the market,” he told OBJ. “Frankly, with the improvements we’ve been seeing over the last year, this is going to be a great investment. I think the mayor and (the city) have done a wonderful job improving and investing in the climate here. We're looking forward to doing even more.” Guests, including VIPs like Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and members of the Ottawa Senators hockey club, tested the menu and sampled cocktails while checking out the new space.  “Great vibe, great people, great conversation,” David Hill, city councillor for Barrhaven West, told OBJ. “It’s a really nice revitalization and a chance to see new businesses coming in. It feels great.” As trade tensions roil with the U.S., Hill added that more local and Canadian-made businesses are essential in cities like Ottawa, providing attractions for domestic travellers and residents alike. “It’s important right now in Canada (to see new businesses opening),” he said. “I think a lot of people want to have staycations. They want to enjoy spending their money in their hometown or in their own country. I think there’s a great opportunity for people to enjoy good quality places like this down in the ByWard Market.” Dreammind Group, the entertainment and hospitality company behind establishments such as Med Supper Club, The Show and Happy Fish, took over the space Jan. 1 after Blue Cactus closed its doors following a 35-year run in the Market.  The new 8,600-square-foot restaurant is a “modern-vintage space with Canadian influences where international and classic dishes meet friendly service and the perfect playlist,” Ilon Tyan, director of marketing at Dreammind Group, wrote on LinkedIn. In January, Mahmoud told OBJ that, unlike the Med Supper Club at Lansdowne, Grey’s menu will cater to a more budget-minded clientele, with the hope that the restaurant will be a place for both families and business lunches.

Businesses see value in ByWard Market

Several long-established businesses – from restaurants such as Blue Cactus and The Courtyard, to others like Saslove’s Meat Market, Dunn’s Famous Deli and the ByWard Fruit Market – have closed their doors over the last few months.  But Zach Dayler, executive director of the ByWard Market District Authority, said it’s encouraging to see new businesses like Grey’s Social coming in to take their place.  “I think that speaks to the viability of the area and the future opportunity that exists,” he told OBJ Monday. “We’re just at the start of the revitalization efforts down there and I think it’s a good sign that people and businesses are interested in investing.” Retailers and restaurants across Ottawa and the rest of Canada have struggled recently, especially since the pandemic, Dayler said. So while the string of closures in the Market may feel like a warning sign, he said it’s not unusual for any business area.  “The changeover of businesses, I think there’s a natural cycle there that we have to be aware of and understand the ebbs and flows,” he said. “The Blue Cactus was in business, 30, 35 years, which is incredible – well above the average operation. And they should be commended for those years of good work.” In addition to Grey’s, other additions like Beyond the Pale’s new taproom and Live Nation’s incoming entertainment venue on Rideau Street are taking advantage of previously empty spaces. But there will be new challenges as Hudson’s Bay closes up shop on Rideau, emptying out a five-storey department store right next door to the Market.  While the future of spaces like that is up in the air, Dayler said it also presents an opportunity to bring in fresh blood and shake up the makeup of the Market.  “What you want to see in those storefronts is a good mix of retail, service and food offerings,” he said. “A strong retail sector brings a strong entertainment sector brings a strong food sector … We really hope to see growth in the made-in-Ottawa movement. The other thing I would highlight is that entrepreneurs see value in places where some of us don’t. I think there’s a lot of excitement as to what might come to the Market and see what are some fun and unique concepts that people are looking to explore.” – With files from Marissa Galko