124 Street meat shop launches tongue-in-cheek campaign
An Edmonton food store is hosting a tongue-in-cheek fundraiser and awareness campaign.
Peter Keith, co-founder of Meuwly's, says the food retailer has had firefighters arrive at its doorstep at least 10 times in the past four years, including two days in a row last week, to investigate reports of a potential fire.
"Typically, we hear it when it's about to happen," Keith told CTV News Edmonton. "We come up and greet them on the street and say, 'Hey, you can stay in the truck. It's just smoke meats."
"They've always been very kind and patient and really not disruptive at all," he added. "They've been great. But they do have to come in and visually confirm there's no fire in the building."
In a statement to CTV News, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said firefighters have only responded to Meuwly's once in the last six months.
Located on the corner of 124 Street and 107 Avenue, Keith understands that for some in that area of Westmount, seeing smoke coming from an office-like-looking building can be a surprise.
"I think people just aren't prepared for the fact that that's smoked meat being prepared," he explained. "We don't think it's the best use of their (firefighters') time. We always feel guilty about it, but they've been really great to work with."
When smoking various types of meat and sausages, Keith said Meuwly's uses German beech wood. As the delicacies are prepared, the smoker vents large concentrated amounts of smoke for a few minutes at a time.
To help get the word out about the increasing visits firefighters have to the meat shop, Keith said the store is raising funds for Firefighter Aid Ukraine — a local charity supporting Ukrainian fire crews as the Russian invasion of that country continues.
Every day, a new smoked meat will be featured on the lunch menu, with a portion of the sale donated to the charity.
"It's obviously a bit of a drain on the system," he said.
"We want to make sure the firefighters are ready to go when there is a real fire and not here smelling our smoked pastrami," Keith added with a laugh.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.