Fort Road restaurant leaves 118-year-old hotel
Posted May 6, 2026 6:37 pm.
Ray Pritlove, still getting calls from loyal customers, but last Sunday, he announced that the Transit Smokehouse and BBQ is now closed.
He’s been serving up brisket since they opened up in 2021, after renovating the Old Transit Hotel, hoping to bring back customers to the Fort Road area.
“No more resources. We’ve run out of money, so it’s hard to pay your bills when you don’t have the revenue coming in,” said Pritlove.
But the business struggled. Pritlove is blaming City permit issues, as well as three years of road construction on Fort Road, along with the rising price of beef.
“Our customers who would come in on a monthly or a bi-monthly basis, now coming in every 4 or 6 months cuz they just don’t have the same funds,” said Pritlove.
He also believes some customers stayed away because of the safety perception of the neighbourhood.
“My staff had no problem going outside, but it was again, it was a stigma that was attached to this place that wasn’t warranted and wasn’t deserved,” said Pritlove.
Steve Jones, the general manager of Mountain Standard Cannabis, said, “We have had some safety issues, and times we’ve needed to contact the police and things like that. So you know that’s certainly a part of being in this neighbourhood, but there are a lot of good things about this neighbourhood too. A lot of good locals who keep us in business.”
Jones says safety is not the biggest hit to business, saying they are still recovering from three years of city construction that wrapped up in 2024.
“We didn’t know that construction was coming, really, when we were planning the business. So to have it hit so soon after we’d open the doors, it’s certainly a blow to the plans, but you know we made it through, and now that that road is open, you know it’s been a lot more rewarding,” said Jones.
For Pritlove, he still gets to serve food to Edmontonians, opening a new restaurant, Midnight Rooster, on Whyte Ave, but hopes the city will support future businesses on Fort Road, even if the area no longer works for him.
The Transit Hotel has been an iconic landmark on Edmonton Fort Road since it was built in 1908. However, despite being an 118-year-old building, it is not an official historic site. Pritlove hopes whoever buys it will look to preserve its history.
