Concession Sees A Booming Business

Horses and riders may have been booming around the barrels, but for a small business owner just starting her own concession the crowds have made for a booming days of business.

By Robert Thomas

With hundreds of attendees from the 2023 Saskatchewan Barrel Racing Association’s (SBRA) provincial championships heading off for snacks, supper or treats from local restaurants and stores there is one new business that is ecstatic about the steady business generated by the event.

In only her third weekend of operation Melina Fulton who runs C plus C Concessions located in the Golden Mile Arena has found her business inundated with hungry and thirsty customers thanks to the SBRA championships.

“It’s been absolutely nuts,” Fulton said describing how busy the concession has been during the barrel racing.

She spoke to MJ Independent during the very short periods of time there were no concession customers.

Melina Fulton (right) serves another customer - MJ Independent photo

“Hundreds and hundreds of people have come to the concession,” she said, adding “it has been maybe 400 sales per day.”

It’s not just a “captive” event audience driving concession sales but also the quality of the food and friendly service.

During the course of the interview two customers took time to compliment Fulton about how good the food was and how nice it was to have a good concession in the Golden Mile Arena.

Asked if she thought it was busy for a concession she said “I think so. It is certainly a lot more busy than the other two weekends I’ve worked. I’ve seen more people here since I’ve been here.”

Fulton has only been operating the newly renovated concession for three weeks.

“It’s everything I’ve expected. I am more busier this week than I thought I would be.”

A customer adds the final touch to a wrap and fries - MJ independent photo

Being open for breakfast, customers was one of the things the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company was looking for when they were searching for a new concession operator.

Fulton said the first day of the championships was slow when it came to serving breakfast but once people found out what was available for breakfast it immediately picked up on the second and third day.

One of the big draws for breakfast is a highly popular breakfast bowl which consists of homemade hashbrowns, scrambled eggs with bacon and ground beef topped with cheese and green onions.

A breakfast bun is also popular with the early morning crowd.

“We have a breakfast wrap that is not as popular but still it’s ordered quite a bit.”

At other times the concession offers more traditional burger fare along with wraps available for breakfast or a midday for supper wrap.

Other popular items include the candy bags for the kids, cotton candy and literally the wide selection of cold drinks they offer. Drinks they have sold by the hundreds during the event.

The concession does not sell revels in Popsicles yet because there is no supplier in Moose Jaw, where they can be bought in bulk enough quantities to keep cost low.

Fries are cut fresh by hand as needed. Here Ratelyn DeLaurier puts a fresh potato through the fry cutter just before they are fried - MJ Independent photo

Hamburgers and cheese burgers are highly popular items on the menu due to the quality as well as the taste.

“It’s homemade,” Fulton said about the beef in the burgers the concession serves.

“There’s no fillers, there is no nothing else in it,” she said, adding purchasing the beef locally, has been a great business decision.

“Everybody is happy it doesn’t seem to be a frozen puck and they can tell it is a homemade patty.”

Customers are very appreciative of the fact the beef is locally sourced and it is a selling point when it comes to burgers.

Toppings, such as tomato and lettuce, are freshly cut with them being stored in a refrigerator until they are needed, making them extra crispy and fresh tasting.

Fries are freshly cut from whole potatoes just before they are needed in an order, making them have a great taste, she said

The fries do not originate from being frozen in a bag for perhaps months.

The number of customers at the order and pick up windows testify to how popular and busy the concession was through the event - MJ Independent photo

Fulton she would like to thank her customers at the barrel, racing provincial finals.

“The people have been really great and really patient when it’s been lined up outside the door I want to thank them for that. Everybody has just been awesome,” Fulton said.