This restaurant chain was founded at Winnipeg in 1931 by Ralph Martin Erwin. He sold the business in 1979 to the Montreal-based company Multi Restaurants Limited. In February 2001, it was purchased by a consortium of Manitoba investors including musician Burton Cummings, along with Sam Katz, Earl Barish, Cheryl Barish, and Harris Liontas. By December 2017, the Barishes were majority owners when they sold it to a group comprising the Metis Economic Development Fund, Noel Bernier, David Filmon, Brad Kramble, and several senior company managers. but they resumed their involvement in July 2019 by taking over Bernier’s shares.
City
Location
Year
Status
Brandon
149 Tenth Street (Thunderbird Bowl)
c1968
Closed (?)
Flin Flon
?
1935
Closed (?)
Norway House
?
2015
Closed by August 2020
Selkirk
?
c1962
Steinbach
?
2018
Closed (?)
Winnipeg
1 Bannister Road
c1990
Broadway at Langside
c1947
699 Broadway
c1990
530 Century Street
c1990
2025 Corydon Avenue
c1990
78 Donald Street
c1990
1860 Ellice Avenue (Drive-In)
1954
Closed and demolished (2020)
Esplanade Riel
2005
Closed (2013)
Hargrave at Graham (Bus Depot)
1936
Closed (1964)
959 Henderson Highway
c1990
1277 Henderson Highway
?
1020 Keewatin Street
c1990
254 Kennedy Street
1932
Moved to 521 Portage Avenue (1940)
1800 King Edward Street (Commissary)
1964
787 Leila Avenue
?
177 Lombard Avenue
?
160 Main Street (Fort Garry Court)
1959
Closed (c1974)
554 Main Street (McLaren Hotel)
1951
Closed (?)
1963
Closed (2023)
19 Marion Street
c1990
2230 McPhillips Street
c1990
212 Notre Dame Avenue
c1990
1034 Notre Dame Avenue
c1990
Notre Dame at Arlington
c1962
1465 Notre Dame Avenue
c1990
Osborne at Broadway
1933
Closed (?)
759 Pembina Highway
1956
2081 Pembina Highway
c1990
3101 Pembina Highway
c1990
354 Portage Avenue
c1990
487 Portage Avenue
c1990
1940
Closed (September 1964)
Portage Avenue at Thompson Drive
1964
Closed (?)
2727 Portage Avenue
c1990
3315 Portage Avenue
?
801 Regent Avenue
c1990
1580 Regent Avenue
c1990
255 St. Anne's Road
c1990
1510 St. Mary's Road
c1990
969 St. Matthews Avenue (Minto Armoury)
1950
Closed (?)
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Ralph Martin Erwin (1902-1983)
“Extra money for married women – Salibury House requires 30 girls for car hop service at Salisbury’s new drive-inn,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 March 1954, page 36.
“Red-peaked roof now at 17 sites,” Winnipeg Tribune, 28 March 1963, page 46.
“Food giant wants city chain,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 February 1979, page 29.
“Burton buys Sals,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 February 2001, pages 1-2.
“Winnipeg’s Salisbury House restaurants changing ownership,” CBC News, 14 December 2017.
“He’s got a little red roof over his head, again,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 July 2019, page 13.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 19 July 2025
