Major Renovations At The Dak (Dakota Hotel) Winnipeg

August 14, 2009, Posted by Admin at 10:49 AM

Here is an article that was recently printed in The Lance community newspaper. For a St.Vital resident like me this is great news! St.Vital doesn’t currently have any local bars that have really taken off so this is finally our chance to have one. I think it would be great to see local residents support the new owners and their recent renovation of the hotel. Without entrepreneurs like this to take the risk and invest money in our nightlife, Winnipeg wouldn’t have a lot of the great nightlife options that we do.

With some proper marketing and the new renovations, The Dak has potential to become a really great place! Forum topic (CLICK HERE) and Article Below:

A St. Vital staple is undergoing a full-blown facelift that its owners hope will boost business.

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The Dakota Hotel, located near the corner of Dakota Street and St. Mary’s Road, is in the midst of the first phase of a major renovation that will see the opening of a new pub, improvements to the exterior of the building, new landscaping and upgrades to the hotel’s parking lot.

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The pub is scheduled to open by the end of the month. It will feature an adjacent patio, a stainless steel open kitchen and 30 VLTs. The patio and north side of the hotel will feature shrubs, trees and flowers.

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The first phase of construction is slated to be completed by the end of September. A second phase of renovations, primarily to the strip mall located adjacent to the hotel, will begin soon after.

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Alex Gershkovich and partner Mike Sapozhnik purchased the hotel and strip mall from its previous owner late last year. Gershkovich worked previously in the fur industry while Sapozhnik is an experienced hotel owner.

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Gershkovich said the upgrades to the hotel were long overdue.

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“The hotel was neglected for a long, long time,” he said. “It’s a great area — nice people, and it’s very good property. The first priority is safety.”

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Gershkovich has beefed-up security at the hotel, a move he and his partner hope will provide a more relaxed atmosphere.

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Upgrades to the hotel’s guest rooms have already begun. New windows are being installed as part of the first phase of renovations. Three kitchenette suites, rooftop suites and an improved air conditioning system will be part of the second phase of improvements.

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Gershkovich and Sapozhnik are currently discussing the possibility of adding four additional floors of hotel rooms. Right now the hotel has just one floor with 22 guests rooms.

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President and CEO of the Manitoba Hotel Association Jim Baker said the transformation is “a tremendous statement to the neighborhood.“

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“The clientele e of the Dakota hotel are more residential.”

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Something Gershkovich and Sapozhnik aren’t planning to change is the name of the hotel. It is referred to simply as The Dak by many locals.

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One of the most noticeable changes at the hotel is to its beer store. The renovated suds store is now 10 times larger at more than 2,000-sq. ft. and offers a much wider selection of products.

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“It’s like day and night from what it was before,” said Marko Bujadin, 24, who lives near the hotel.

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Gershkovich declined to say exactly how much he and his partner are spending on the renovations. However, he said his “life savings” are going into the project.

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“I hope we’re going to get some profit after opening the pub,” he said.

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Baker estimated that “close to a million’ dollars is being put into the changes.