8 SAVOUR MANITOBA | SPRING 24
WOW Hospitality
A
trio of new busi-
nesses is taking a
bite out of the food
and beverage scene
at Winnipeg's most iconic
corner.
In early March, a bistro and
lounge called 529 Uptown
opened its doors on the
main floor of 201 Portage
Ave. as a sister concept to the
fine-dining steakhouse 529
Wellington.
e grand opening also
celebrated the launch of 529
Burger and 529 Coffee in the
same high-rise building.
All three businesses fall
under the umbrella of WOW
Hospitality Concepts, which
bolsters Winnipeg's culinary
scene with other notable
restaurants including Peasant
Cookery, Prairie's Edge, Alena
Rustic Italian and Bluestone
Cottage.
Doug Stephen, president
and CEO of WOW Hospitality,
says the concept of 529
Uptown simmered for more
than three years in the
planning stage.
"From the original
discussions I had with
Harvard Developments, the
owners of the building at 201
Portage, we were waiting until
people were coming back
downtown because so many
people were working from
home during COVID," he says.
"e owner of the building
was kind enough to allow us
to wait until that happened.
When they got up to around
82 per cent occupancy and it
wasn't just hybrid, that's when
we decided to push forward."
WOW
HOSPITALITY LAUNCHES
529 UPTOWN
BY JENNIFER MCFEE
