TORONTO – When chef Steve Mitton and operator Paddy Whelan wanted to expand their Ottawa restaurant Murray Street Kitchen, they didn’t choose to open yet another restaurant in the city’s competitive scene. Instead, they opened a food shop, an increasingly popular choice for restaurateurs, the Toronto Globe & Mail reports.
The couple’s new Murray’s Market, which sits kitty-corner to Murray Street Kitchen, sells artisanal food products providing customers with many of the same ingredients they use at their restaurant.
“Over the last three years, we got so many questions regarding our farmers and where we source [things] out …” Mitton says. “The market just came into our head right away.”
The model is a similar one many business owners are adopting, merging restaurants with retail to generate new revenue streams. For restaurateurs, retail is a natural extension of the work they already do, while their customer base is a natural fit for the retail experience.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: National Association of Convenience Stores
