If you can succeed over 3 years and stay alive in the highly competitive restaurant business you should have a degree of success. However 36 years would be considered an eternity by most. With new food delivery apps and national and international food chains coming to Brandon one would think being in that industry for 36 years as a small independent business would be nothing short of a miracle. In 1970 Beef and Barrel opened on the North Hill in Brandon by Tom Cowan and then in 1987 purchased by Brian Kilborn whom has operated it since.  And on March 31, 2023 will be the final day of operations for Brian and his staff. Kilborn told BDNMB.CA that he will now focus on traveling and being at the lake and enjoying the next phase of his life. Crane Steel has purchased the building and land.  Jarod Crane said "Excited about providing another future development for the City of Brandon". Brian Kilborn also stated that on March 31st he will be giving away hamburgers and soft drinks until everything is gone. The staff at BDNMB.CA and many other loyal customers will miss this local business.

Westman Communications Group (WCG) held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the Backyard on Aberdeen. At the AGM, WCG announced the elected 2023 Board of Directors. The Board comprises 11 members from around the province, and three spots needed to be filled this year. The three members joining the 2023 Board of Directors include Mike Csversko, Susan Brechmann, and newcomer Chris Sobchuk. Including the new members, the 2023 Board of Directors consists of Jason Roblin (Chair), Mike Csversko (1st Vice-Chair), Dave Mahoney (2nd Vice-Chair), Gillian Halwas (Secretary), Dan Robertson (Treasurer), Susan Brechmann, Barrie Brooking, David Leech, Terry Fehr, Gail Janz and Chris Sobchuk. Four of the 11 members of this year’s Board are made up of representatives from outside of Brandon – Barrie Brooking (Minnedosa), Mike Csversko (Dauphin), Terry Fehr (Gladstone), and Gillian Halwas (Inglis). “As WCG continues growth into new areas of the province, I am pleased to see our Board of Directors reflect that,” said Interim President & CEO, E.J (Bud) Keys. “Congratulations to our Board of Directors for 2023.” For more information on WCG’s Board of Directors, visit westmancom.com/about-us/companyprofile/board-of-directors.

Mano's Pizza is set to return to the Wheat City. Ownership told bdnmb.ca that they are hoping to start serving their pizza to the public as early as this weekend. Mano's Pizza will operate out of the Kam Lung restaurant (1650 Park Avenue) and will offer dine-in, pick-up, and delivery service as well as Skip The Dishes. Kam Lung Asian Cuisine will continue to operate out of the same location so now guests will have the option of ordering off either menu. The extremely large kitchen inside Kam Lung allowed for ownership to have the space to fully run both menus out of the one address. Instead of acquiring a franchise to fill the space, they also felt they wanted to go with the name of a pizza restaurant that residents in the city would remember just like when they first opened Kam Lung. The Mano's name has a history in Brandon dating back to their location on 10th Street in the 90's. Maintaining a sense of local was a very important consideration when it came to securing a name for this venture. Mano's Pizza features fresh hand made & hand rolled pizza dough made fresh daily.

The project has been in the works for many year and today Section 6 Brewing Co officially opened their doors to the public at 11am. They are a craft brewery in Brandon, MB located at 1126 Princess Avenue. A number of different craft beers are available with more on the way. The space includes a main level taproom for live music and performances, an upstairs lounge available for rent for your next private event, and a large pet-friendly patio over looking Princess Avenue. A number of events (NFL Red Zone Sundays, Tight 90 Movie Night, and Trivia Night with Kate & Aaron) are among the upcoming events listed on their events page. WEEKDAYS Monday –Wednesday 4pm-9pm Thursday 4pm-11pm Friday 11am-11pm WEEKENDS Saturday 11am-11pm Sunday 12pm-6pm

Pizza Express, a long-standing restaurant in Brandon, recently announced that they would be opening a location in Winnipeg. The Pizza Express Winnipeg location is going to be at 3116 Roblin Blvd with a projected opening in early 2023. Dine-In, takeout, and delivery service will be available. Pizza Express has been operational in Brandon since 1982, serving a wide range of pizza, pasta, subs, salads and more.