The Blue Pear restaurant celebrates 10th anniversary

By Heather Rastas

EDMONTON — A west Edmonton restaurant that is at the heart of the Live Local movement is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

The Blue Pear, at 10643 123 Street, is run by Jessie and Darcy Radies. Live Local is a non-profit organization that exists to support local businesses and help them connect with their communities.

The Blue Pear’s menu changes every four to six weeks depending on the chef’s inspiration and what products are readily available, said Jessie Radies.

She is passionate about her community and supporting local businesses.

“We make donations almost daily to organizations that are looking for donations,” says Radies.

There is a sense of enthusiasm and excitement from the restaurant even after 10 years.

“I think it’s exciting and I think when you’ve been 10 years in business, it says a lot about what your clients think about your product,” says Kimberley Theoret, who is the restaurant manager. “They have confidence in it. They enjoy it. It means you’re going in the right direction.”

Before Radies and her husband opened the Blue Pear, she was a restaurant manager and he was a chef. Based on their background, they thought it made sense to create their own restaurant.

Since that time, the number of patrons who come to the restaurant has increased and more people from the surrounding neighbourhood have started to come to the restaurant.

Lois Galloway, a customer for the past five or six years, would recommend the restaurant to anyone. “The Blue Pear is a great place, and every time we go there we are welcomed with open arms,” says Galloway. “In some ways it feels like home!”

The Blue Pear has an Industry Night every Thursday, when anyone who works for a business connected to Live Local can come in and eat at a discounted price.

The owners of the Blue Pear are satisfied with the level of flexibility and freedom they have now, but they are open to certain changes in the future.

“We might expand the business if we were able to grow bigger in the site that we’re in or maybe attach a little wine bar or something. We don’t have aspirations to have more restaurants that wouldn’t sit with our life or with our long -term goals,” says Radies.

The Blue Pear gives customers the ability to make reservations online. It is open Wednesday to Sunday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

To contact the Blue Pear, call  780-482-7178 or e-mail .