Bungalow Club seeks community support after five break-ins since April
Bungalow Club in Calgary seeks support after five break-ins since April; owner Joel Bombenon says repairs, stolen stock and security upgrades have mounted.
Bungalow Club, a newly opened restaurant on 17th Avenue S.W., has been targeted in a series of break-ins that its co-owner says have left the business scrambling to repair damage and cover losses. The restaurant, which opened in April, reported its fifth incident on July 27, when a group forced entry and shattered a front window, a video shared by co-owner Joel Bombenon shows. Bombenon is now appealing to the Calgary community for patronage and donations as the business copes with mounting costs.
Repeated break-ins since April
Since opening earlier this year, Bungalow Club staff say the restaurant has been burglarized five times, with incidents occurring across the spring and summer months. The most recent episode, on July 27, was documented by Bombenon on social media, showing broken glass and signs of forced entry. He said a group had entered and removed a substantial amount of property, although he did not specify the exact items taken.
Bombenon described the pattern as demoralizing for a small team still establishing itself in a competitive dining strip. He told viewers in the video that each event carries financial and operational repercussions that extend beyond the immediate loss of goods.
Owner outlines financial and operational toll
Bombenon said the cost of responding to the break-ins has been heavy, both in direct losses and in the expenses required to repair damage. He has estimated that the restaurant has spent tens of thousands of dollars addressing issues related to the burglaries, from repairing fixtures to raising security measures. Those costs, he said, have come out of his own savings used to launch the business.
In the video appeal, Bombenon explained that the strain has prevented the restaurant from reinvesting in day-to-day operations, including hiring additional serving staff. He emphasized that the financial pressure is compounded by insurance deductibles, the need to replace stolen inventory and the expense of emergency repairs.
Security measures and repeated shed break-ins
Despite having an alarm system in place, Bombenon said responses by security or authorities have not arrived in time to prevent thefts, leaving the alarms unable to avert losses. The restaurant’s outdoor shed has been a repeated target; staff now leave it unlocked and empty to reduce temptation for thieves. Bombenon said they have stripped the shed of anything of value because securing it proved insufficient to stop entry.
He also described the ongoing cost of replacing damaged doors, windows and other elements after each incident, which he said erodes the short-term operating funds the restaurant needs to grow. The situation has led management to reassess both physical security and operational practices to limit future exposure.
Community response and fundraising effort
Shortly after the most recent social media post, Bombenon launched a GoFundMe campaign that had raised more than $1,600 toward a $2,500 goal within days. In the fundraiser description he thanked supporters and framed the appeal as a community-driven way to help the team recover. “This break-in doesn’t define Bungalow Club,” the fundraiser message reads, adding that the restaurant will rebuild and remain a place “where everyone belongs.”
Bombenon has also asked Calgarians to show support by dining at the restaurant while it recovers, arguing that regular patronage will help offset both immediate and longer-term losses. The public response on social platforms included offers of help and expressions of concern for the staff, who Bombenon said “work their a— off.”
Location, cuisine and local context
Bungalow Club occupies the former La Chaumière building on 17th Avenue S.W., a busy corridor known for restaurants and retail. The venue bills itself as an Italian-French fusion restaurant, a niche it launched in April with hopes of attracting both neighbourhood regulars and destination diners. The location’s visibility on 17th Avenue likely contributed to early customer interest as the team worked to establish the menu and service model.
The stretch of 17th Avenue has long been a competitive environment for new operators, and owners of small businesses there often cite higher overheads and security challenges as ongoing concerns. Bungalow Club’s troubles highlight the vulnerability of startups to repeated criminal incidents during their formative months.
Bombenon has framed the troubles as temporary setbacks rather than a sign that the business will close, and he reiterated his commitment to keeping the doors open.
Plans to rebuild and keep staff employed
Bombenon told viewers he is determined to cover employee wages and ensure the team can continue working while repairs are completed. He said he will do “whatever I can to make sure that this team gets what they deserve,” noting the staff’s dedication and long hours. The owner expressed a preference to invest in frontline service staff rather than pouring additional funds into repeated emergency repairs.
Management is weighing further security upgrades and operational changes designed to reduce future losses, while balancing the immediate need to repair and reopen quickly. Bombenon said those decisions will be guided by both safety considerations and the practical limits of a small business budget.
Community members who want to help can donate to the established GoFundMe campaign or support the restaurant by dining in or ordering takeout, Bombenon said. He described the support so far as a motivating factor in the decision to keep rebuilding.
Bungalow Club’s co-owner concluded the appeal by saying the incidents have sharpened the restaurant’s resolve to remain a neighbourhood gathering place, and he asked patrons to help ensure the business can continue serving its menu and staff into the fall.
