After a tumultuous year, a beloved deli once operating in Jasper will reopen again in Edmonton on Monday. Patricia Street Deli had just celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 when they were displaced by the Jasper wildfires only two weeks later. Owners Wendy and Glen Leitch announced their intentions to relocate earlier this year after realizing a rebuild at their Jasper National Park location wasn’t feasible. “It’s been a journey … It’s wonderful, gratifying and it’s hard to get your head around where we were,” Glen Leitch said at the soft opening on Friday. Now, a previously empty commercial space on 10567 111 St. has transformed into an upgraded version of the beloved deli. The owners said they did have some setbacks in the 17 months they spent rebuilding and relied on fundraising to make their dream of reopening a reality. They credit their daughter and son, Jaimie and Dustin, for the brunt of the work and for convincing them to reconsider entering “retirement mode.” “What has been motivating for us is the kids,” Glen Leitch added. “They’ve worked really, really hard to get it to where it is, and they’ve taken really good care of us for the future and themselves.” Down the road, both kids have a vision of owning more than one location – although that’s still a long way off. For now, the family is basking in their newly renovated 2800-square-foot space, which features a full restaurant with an open kitchen, a bar, an electric fireplace, and the deli’s classic eat-in sandwich bar with all the fan favourites. The new restaurant also has a wall for people to sign and, unlike the old location, serve alcohol while extending its hours into the evening. “(Yesterday) Glen and I sat down by the fire, and just had a moment … I just teared up, and I started crying, and I looked over and he did the same, and we sat there and cried because just so much joy, so much happiness,” Wendy Leitch said. “We never dreamed we would ever have a place like this.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nicole Weisberg
