THUNDER BAY — When Kathy Scerba, owner of Crock-N-Dial Sandwiches, began serving meals to her customers in Victoriaville Mall in 1996, she didn’t know the same people would still be returning 25 years later with their own children to enjoy her cuisine.
Scerba is celebrating 25 years of business inside the south-core mall this week with her staff at her side, as the mall slowly reopens in the third phase of Ontario’s reopening plan.
“This week has been phenomenal,” she said. “I never thought we’d be as busy as we are right now. I guess it just takes a little time for people to know we are open.”
Scerba says many people think the south-core mall in Thunder Bay is closed and have “just stopped coming in.” Only two mall entrances were open during the last few months with signs posted on closed doors directing people to other entrances. Scerba says they either didn’t see the signs or tried the locked door then just left.
Although the mall has many unoccupied spaces, it is still open with a small number of tenants.
“There are hair salons, a seamstress, Friends of the Library and Amos and Andy in here,” said Scerba. “Things are slowly opening up in here but a lot of the traffic in Victoriaville is connected to the city offices located on the second floor, and with the city (offices) being closed, it’s not helping downtown . . . and it’s the same thing with Revenue Canada, the courthouse, being closed to the public — we’re not getting a lot of traffic.”
Scerba’s restaurant survived the COVID-19 lockdown by providing some catering, pickup and delivery. At the onset of the lockdowns, she said having her staff back at that time just wasn’t feasible and came in herself a few times a week to prepare meals for her clients.
“We came back in August (of 2020) full-staffed and started catering again,” she said. “When December came, we were shut down again and opened in February . . . and it has been with part-time staff,” she said, adding all of her staff are back and she has even hired a new part-time student.
Scerba, like the other mall tenants, is troubled by Thunder Bay city council’s decision to tear down Victoriaville Mall. Years ago when talk of tearing down the Victoria Avenue mall began, she presented a deputation to council urging them to keep it open.
“Maybe it was a mistake to build it 40 years ago, but it got built,” she said.
“It’s not been maintained properly, the building maintenance is lacking and a lot of people think it should just come down. We have a leaking roof and those are the skylights that are leaking — and they have been for years. We have been fighting to get them fixed and the city has just never put that capital money into it.”
As for Crock-N-Dial, Scerba says she has some options and has been approached about reopening in an alternate location.
“I need this pandemic to end,” she said. “I would like to keep going and I’m hoping that the City helps out the tenants . . . some whom have been here for 40 years. . . . Besides, relocation is expensive.”
Meanwhile, Crock-N-Dial Sandwiches continues to be a favourite and is celebrating with “25 cent” pricing for food items similar to what they were 25 years ago.
The Chronical Journal
