PlayWright restaurant closes after city construction disrupted Citadel location
Chef Steve Brochu shuts down the restaurant citing years of financial strain from road work, building deficiencies, and limited support from the city and venue.
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PlayWright, the restaurant inside the Citadel Theatre that opened to fanfare in June 2024, has closed its doors after less than two years of operation. Chef Steve Brochu cited six months of disruptive street construction, building maintenance issues, and what he described as minimal financial support from both the city and the Citadel as reasons for the closure.
Brochu, an award-winning chef who established himself at Chartier in Beaumont before opening PlayWright alongside two other ventures, is no longer a restaurateur. MilkCrate, his casual spot in Epcor Tower, closed in November 2025. GhostLight, his coffee kiosk at the Citadel, will also be wound down.
"If I could go back in time, I would never opened PlayWright," Brochu said. The road work on 99 Street in front of the restaurant was particularly damaging — six months of jackhammering and boarded-up windows disrupted business and prevented him from opening a patio. "No, we did not know the city was going to be doing that, and it was six months of jackhammering and boarded-up windows and a massive disruption to our business, and with very little financial support from either the city or from the Citadel."
Brochu said construction concerns weren't disclosed during lease negotiations, despite being public knowledge. "The frustrating thing is the Citadel and the city knew, as I was negotiating the lease with them, and the didn't disclose it," he said. "I know it is public information. I didn't think to look at road construction, because who would?"
Building deficiencies also mounted. Brochu described maintenance issues including toilet water dripping into the dining area. He negotiated a arrangement with the Citadel to catch up on late rent by May, succeeding in that goal — but cash flow issues struck again in June and PlayWright was locked out.
Delivery services like DoorDash were unavailable as a revenue option because many of the Citadel's doors lock after business hours when shows aren't on, and construction made navigation of the surrounding streets difficult for drivers.
Brochu's experience reflects broader frustration among downtown restaurateurs and the Downtown Revitalization Coalition, who have decried the impact of city construction projects on businesses. Khazana, established in Edmonton nearly three decades ago, announced closures just three weeks before PlayWright shut down.
"We can't win with the city, we can't win with the building, either," Brochu said. "I'm sure, in 30 years Edmonton will look fantastic, but it just wasn't the right place or time for us, and we did our best."