Reflections from a Lethbridge pitmaster

It’s time to put your fat pants away, at least for now. Famed Lethbridge diner, Hickory Street closed their doors over the Thanksgiving weekend. The restaurant needed to close after a deal with a potential buyer fell through. Inside the restaurant where the smell of southern BBQ still slightly lingered, owner Devynn Bohn shared why the sale of the iconic eatery was necessary.

The eatery started off as a food truck, but then turned in to a restaurant in the Village of Stirling.  The business’s popularity continued to increase when they moved the restaurant into downtown Lethbridge.  However, it was not without significant challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic which affected many businesses, including Hickory Street. After the pandemic, Bohn thought her diner was out of the choppy waters, but then her downtown business was hit with another major issue…downtown construction.

The pandemic, construction, and downtown crime were not part of the decision to sell Hickory Street, according to Bohn.  Even the costliness of business taxes in Lethbridge were not a deterrent.  According to a February 2024 report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Lethbridge is amongst the highest for business property taxes, at 2.11 per cent…over 2.5 times more in property taxes for a business property, than a residence with the same property value.

However, despite it all, Hickory Street persevered. And enjoyed an abundance of support from the community, other businesses, and travelers from all over Alberta.

The restaurant will remain closed until a new buyer steps in and takes over.