It is with great sadness that I share that I will not be renewing my contract to continue operating The Penalty Box Canteen.
This was an incredibly difficult decision and one I have gone back and forth on many times. Ultimately, it is no longer feasible for me to continue operating the canteen in a way that is sustainable long-term. Staffing challenges have been the biggest obstacle. When I first started, I believed I would be able to build a team that would allow me to take on a more hands-off leadership role over time, but in order to maintain the standards I set for quality, service, and overall experience, that simply wasn't possible.
Over the past two seasons I have sacrificed nearly every weeknight and weekend. There were countless late nights after games, early mornings before tournaments, and many times where I used vacation days from my full-time job just to make sure the canteen was staffed and running properly. There were stretches of 14–16 hour days and back-to-back events with very little time to step away. While I'm incredibly proud of the commitment it took to build this, the reality is that it has taken a real mental and physical toll.
Despite that, I am extremely proud of what was accomplished. What started as a small idea before I even submitted the tender grew into something truly special for our community. From building the brand and menu to creating a fun, fast-paced rink experience with creative items and new ideas, my goal was always to bring something memorable to the Memorial Sports Centre.
One of the greatest honours during this journey was being recognized through the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. That recognition meant a great deal and validated the work that went into building something unique for our community.
It has also been an incredible privilege working alongside local hockey organizations, tournaments, and events over the past two seasons. Seeing families line up before games, watching kids get excited to order their favourite items, and being part of the atmosphere that makes rink culture so special are memories I will always carry with me.
Over the next couple of weeks I will be winding down operations leading up to our final day — date to be announced at a later time. I would love to see as many familiar faces as possible before we close this chapter.
Please ensure that all outstanding gift cards are used by April 12th.
For anyone who may be interested in purchasing equipment, the brand, recipes, or who would simply like to talk about what it takes to operate something on this scale, I would be more than happy to chat. You can reach me at hello@penaltyboxcanteen.com.
To my staff — thank you for working so hard under pressure, handling the long lines and packed tournaments, and helping make this experience what it was.
And to the community — thank you for believing in me and supporting this journey. I truly hope The Penalty Box Canteen helped set the bar for what a community arena canteen can be.
This isn't the end of my involvement in the community — just the closing of this chapter. I will always be proud of what we built together.
