Frustrated owners won’t rebuild demolished Boujee

Kanish Sood, co-owner of the demolished Boujee Restaurant and Bar in Winnipeg, has decided against rebuilding in downtown Winnipeg due to persistent crime and vandalism in the area. After the restaurant was set on fire for the second time in six days last week, Sood and his partners locked and boarded up the building, which sustained significant damage in a previous fire last October.

Despite hiring private security and notifying the police of ongoing break-ins, the issue persisted. Sood expressed disappointment in the local authorities' inability to protect the property and warned that the situation would discourage potential restaurant owners from investing in the downtown area. The mayor's office has received Sood's concerns about downtown safety, but no response has been provided.

Winnipeg Police Service is investigating the recent fires at Boujee, with the suspect in the October 2025 blaze set to stand trial in May 2027. The province recently allocated $2 million to community organizations to improve safety in downtown Winnipeg.