The owners behind many of the city’s Baskin-Robbins franchises are excited to open in the ByWard Market this fall, taking over the former location of the ByWard Fruit Market.
Business partners Lina Qu and Ronnie Liu told OBJ in October that they were embarking on a journey to open 10 Baskin-Robbins locations in and around Ottawa over the next 10 years.
Of Ottawa’s nine Baskin-Robbins locations, Qu and Liu currently own six, either on their own or together, having opened their newest location in Westboro last October. The ByWard Market location will be the third of the 10 planned locations.
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The ByWard Fruit Market closed its doors at 36 ByWard Market Sq. in May after 26 years. Liu told OBJ on Thursday that, around the same time, he and Qu were chatting with a real estate broker about the opportunity to take over the soon-to-be vacant spot.
“It’s a great location, it’s super popular. We have actually been looking for commercial spots in (the ByWard Market) for almost two years,” Liu told OBJ.
If renovations remain on track, Liu said he and Qu hope to open by the end of September.
Liu said there are many reasons why he and Qu want to bring Baskin-Robbins to the Market.
“It is one of the most beloved and historical spots (in Ottawa). It attracts different crowds, a lot of tourists and downtown locals. I believe it will attract more people from Quebec. For us, it’s about being in the heart of the city,” he said, adding that the location allows them to serve the city’s student population given its proximity to the University of Ottawa.
Many well-known stores and restaurants have left the Market over the past year, such as Saslove’s Meat Market, Blue Cactus Bar and Grill, Fairouz Café and Quelque Chose Patisserie. At the same time, a number of new businesses have opened, including Toronto-based Craig’s Cookies that took over the Quelque Chose location on July 1.
Liu said that competition with other vendors selling sweet treats doesn’t faze him. “We’re different. Our (ice cream) cakes are what make us different. Especially our mini-cakes that are for one or two people. Tourists won’t want bigger cakes so a mini-cake is perfect,” he said.
Thinking about future locations to continue his and Qu’s plan for 10 franchises, Liu said they have their sights set on the Quebec market and hope to open in Gatineau or Aylmer. He added that, as communities continue to grow outside of the city centre, they will look to open new locations in Orléans and Kanata.
