John Pritchard, a former partner in the Terra Rouge restaurant, has just opened Pure Kitchen Pop Up Burgertown on Great George Street.
He decided to launch the new pop-up business during burger love, but intends to continue it with a different menu each month.
“This is the first time since really the Christmas season when everyone sort of makes a concerted effort to shake off winter a bit and go into town and spend some money,’’ Pritchard said, in explaining why he decided to launch Pure Kitchen this month.
“(Burger) love would be a good chance to test the waters, sort of feel if this location had the legs and the needs to support ongoing trade.’’
Pure Kitchen occupies the same space once held by the Silver Streams restaurant, the Alibi Lounge and Orange Lunchbox. Pritchard believes it was also a curry restaurant at one time.
There was some thought that he’d shut the doors once burger love wrapped up at the end of the month, but he’s had a change of heart.
“I think after you invest a little bit into the space that motivates you to take a look at how you can make it work a little longer. I was going to do a pop-up (restaurant) regardless if it wasn’t here or if it’s not here.’’
Pritchard said a pop-up restaurant generally pops into an unusual space or a vacant space for a short time, then disappears. His pop up won’t be the traditional kind, but it will have elements.
“I’m going to shut down for a few days after burger love and we’re going to regroup and open up as a noodle restaurant (then) as a nation noodle restaurant. After that month, we’re going to close down for a number of days and open up as the next concept so it is going to be a pop-up restaurant.’’
Not only will the menu change, but so will everything else – new wine list, new cocktail list, new beers list.
After 27 years in the restaurant business, Pritchard was looking to change things up a bit.
“I’m very much short-term minded so now I’m really turned on by being able to do a number of niche things that wouldn’t necessarily stand on their own for any period of time in Charlottetown.’’
It literally will be flavour of the month. He thinks the concept might just catch on.
“I think foodies in town will have a lot of fun with it, too, being able to eat cuisines that aren’t here.’’
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