Page 9 - BOMA Spring 2017 Insider

December of 1999 and swung open its says Ginakes. “We’ve had great stars perform here and hosted national
doors a few months later in February of events.”
2000. Often bringing in local talent, the restaurant has welcomed many high
The St. Mary Pony Corral has since profile celebrities and musical acts. The Pony Corral has hosted Chantal
become a versatile, multi-hit wonder in the Kreviazuk, Burton Cummings, Doc Walker and Blue Rodeo, to name a few.
restaurant business. It’s a sports bar, a
restaurant, an event centre and a cabaret.
Welcoming up to 500 guests, the venue is
often maxed out on Jets and Moose game
days, and during concert and other event
nights hosted at nearby MTS Centre or the
Convention Centre.
There are also charity evenings and
karaoke nights, and Ginakes even started
‘Sunday Cruise Nights’ downtown,
showcasing the most unique luxury and
classic car collections in the province.
Cruise Nights have since been taken over
by Pony Corral’s Grant Avenue location,
and continue to draw people from all over
the province on Sunday evenings between
May and September. Located at 444 St Mary Avenue
“The Pony Corral was a huge supporter
of downtown Winnipeg with their car
shows and evening events long before
the MTS Centre arrived downtown” says
Karen Lund, Regional General Manager of
Morguard Investments. “They’re a great
amenity to the building and downtown
overall, and a pleasure to have as tenants.”

Ginakes notes that while opening up
a location downtown may have been
different than his previous endeavors, it
has been worth the risk and he enjoys
operating in the downtown area. “We’ve
done a lot of neat things in the downtown.
It has been great to work alongside
Morguard and also the Downtown BIZ – a
great thing to have here which doesn’t
exist isn’t the suburbs” says Ginakes.
The Pony Corral has a variety of casual Over the years even Jean Chretien and Justin Trudeau have stopped by.
dining options but Ginakes notes some of And although he already owns four successful Pony Corral restaurants,
the most popular dishes are Greek style Ginakes admits it’s not the end of his business ventures. He, along with a
baby back ribs, sautéed souvlaki, chicken business partner purchased the former masonic temple on Donald Street
liver and the Corral’s signature burgers. and are contemplating potential restaurant opportunities there. Over the
past 12 years, 2 million dollars has been invested in retrofitting the building,
When asked what the best part about
working in the restaurant business is, which could potentially hold 800. Ginakes envisions the three-storey
Ginakes is certain. “It’s the people. I’m building to include a restaurant, a second floor patio and a place for a
a people-person. I’ve met thousands of comedy show, perhaps on the third floor.
people in my restaurant career including So keep an eye out for Ginakes’ next restaurant transformation, he’s always
celebrities coming through the restaurant,” cooking up something new! ■

BOMA MANITOBA INSIDER | ISSUE 7 | SPRING 2017 8