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Karma Kameleon's winter patio offers s'mores and more

'I guess it got that ski village feel. If you’re at a ski lodge you’d sit outside, have a glass of wine. Well, it’s not far off from that type of atmosphere,' says the gastropub's owner
KarmaKameleon
A tray of homemade marshmallows and s'mores, ready for roasting on the fire table.

Because of the new pandemic restrictions pubs and restaurants have been forced to go back to a take-out/delivery model, making some businesses open up their patios in the middle of winter, in an effort to stay open. One of those businesses is The Karma Kameleon Gastropub on Front Street in Downtown Thorold.

“If you don’t change or if you don’t adapt, then you’re in trouble so to speak,” says William Brunyansky, who owns the gastropub together with his wife Shannon Lindsay.

“It was kind of humorous that Ford said you can open your patio. When he said that it was minus eighteen degrees out, it wasn’t even a thought. And then we heard that other places were doing it, so we prepared ours and it’s been a success so far.”

To make the patio winter appropriate, Brunyansky says he had to get creative.

“We purchased a number of patio fire tables to make it cozy. We got heated blankets that are weighted, they are ten pounds each, they are super warm. And we hand out (hand and foot warmers) to guests if their hands are cold they can put them into their gloves or their boots, that sort of thing.”

But it’s not all about the decor. The menu also got a little outdoor winter makeover.

“We created a warm cocktail list, we got s’mores and we made homemade marshmallows so people can roast them over the fire on the fire table,” says Brunyansky.

“I guess it got that ski village feel. If you’re at a ski lodge you’d sit outside, have a glass of wine. Well, it’s not far off from that type of atmosphere.”

The Karma Kameleon Gastropub has been around for almost nine years but the pandemic has been the hardest challenge for the business yet, according to Brunyansky.

“It would be easy if there was consistency, but when the goal posts keep moving, that makes it really hard. We’re doing the best we can. We’ve made a number of changes. You try to be as creative as possible.”

Brunyansky points to the constant letting go and rehiring of staff as a particularly painful process. 

“Because of this last lockdown of course we can’t afford to have all the staff here. That has been really hard. It’s good that we’ve been able to bring some staff back, but once things open up we can bring all our staff back.”

Even though the winter patio has been a success, Brunyansky says he can't wait to open up fully again.

“Everybody is really happy with the concerted effort that we’ve made to make it cozy, make it warm, make it as enjoyable as possible to eat outside in the elements. It’s nowhere near the same as actually having the restaurant open without restrictions, it’s a different buzz. We’re happy that we have this opportunity but we want things back to normal as soon as possible.”


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Bernard Lansbergen

About the Author: Bernard Lansbergen

Bernard was born and raised in Belgium but moved to Canada in 2012 and has lived in Niagara since 2020. Bernard loves telling people’s stories and wants to get to know those that make Thorold into the great place it is
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