Chez Sophie, Winnipeg's only bridge restaurant, closes its doors

Less than two years into a five-year contract, Winnipeg's only bridge restaurant announcedMondayit has closed its doors.

Chez Sophie opened on the Esplanade Riel in St. Boniface in 2013 after Salisbury House, which occupied the space for around seven years, pulled away from the bridge location.

The City of Winnipeg chose Chez Sophie to sign a five-year lease of the unique facility.

• Chez Sophie chosen for ex-Sal's site on Esplanade Riel
• VIDEO: Inside the Chez Sophie location before it opened

The business cited unmanageably high operating costs associated with the bridge space along with dramatic seasonal shifts in sales as reasons for its closing.

Businesses on the other side of the bridge were quick to respond.

"My heart sank," said Constance Menzies of Chocolatier Constance Popp. "It felt like a death in the family. It's just we know them.We know their food. It's fantastic. The ambience is fantastic. It's a very unique location."

But the location is also one of the problems.Customers had to walk over the bridgeto access the French restaurant.

"I think it's the parking," said Menzies, adding "I think over and above anything else I think people wanted to go there, it's just hard to get there especially when it's cold four, five, six months out of the year."

Provencher Biz chair Shawn Brandson said while it has a unique view, the location is difficult for a food business.

"Back in the day when it first was there I looked at it with my business partner and just the logistics of a restaurant on a bridge: pretty, pretty tricky," said Brandson, "You know the storage and the utilities are a challenge."

The site is owned by the city.

St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard said it's time to rethink the space's potential.

"I think we should go back to the drawing board," he said.

"I think we should consider putting out an expression of interest," Allard said.

"That means basically, hey, Winnipeg, we've got this great space.This is what it costs.What do you think we could put in the space for consideration for council?"

Allard believes the site has a lot of potential.

"It's got one of the best views in Winnipeg," he said. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a private business in that space.I think we just need to find the right partner and that place is going to thrive."

It isn't yet known what business will fill the void on the bridge, but Chez Sophie took to Facebook to explain what prompted the decision to close.

The following is a translation of that French Facebook post: