Risk & Business Magazine Cal LeGrow Risk & Business Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 28

THE FIFTH TICKET
THE FIFTH TICKET
A Winner
E
veryone dreams of winning
the lottery, but do you know
anyone who has actually won
it? Meet David Primmer of
Labrador City. Not only did
Primmer win the lottery, but he won it big.
It all started in 2014 when, having moved
north to join a new company, Primmer
cajoled his colleagues into starting a lottery
pool similar to the one that had existed
at his old company. His gamble paid off
quickly as the group of eight won their big
payoff—CAD 30 million to split among
them—only a few, short months later.
The big win brought with it both ups
and downs. As the cliché goes, says
Primmer, people actually do come out of
the woodwork asking for help and you
do find out pretty quickly who your real
friends are. Only twenty-seven when
he won, Primmer took some time to
regroup and figure out his life’s next steps.
Fortunately for the St. John’s community,
it led him to develop the trendy new
restaurant The Fifth Ticket—named
after the winning lottery ticket—which
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opened in February 2016. While business
was a bit slow at first, it picked up during
the 2016 summer tourist season and
has never really slowed down since.
The Fifth Ticket occupies a 6,000-square-
foot space downtown on Water Street,
catering to both tourists and locals,
including the area business crowd. Its
eclectic space is large enough to encompass
a main dining room, private function
room, chef’s tasting room for small
groups, and a piano bar—St. John’s first.
Primmer describes The Fifth Ticket’s fare
as internationally influenced but locally
sourced wherever possible. Perusing
the menu, you will find everything
from comfort food, such as burgers and
poutine, to exotic dishes like Kimchi
Ahi Tuna Poke and Vegetable Korma.
The restaurant currently employs forty-
two people, and Primmer raves about
the creativity of his executive staff—in
particular, award-winning chef Nick
Jewczyk—in developing new recipes and
cocktails. “I like to hire creative people and
let them run loose,” he says, although he
still oversees the overall menu direction
and price points. He also green-lights
dishes during regular tasting sessions.
Primmer’s next goal is to open a second
location in Halifax, and he has already
located a suitable space downtown.
The size, menu, and overall vibe will
be similar to The Fifth Ticket, but it
will cater to a slightly more business-
oriented demographic. Further expansion
plans may develop from there.
Primmer is philosophical when asked to
reflect on his lottery experience. “Winning
the lottery at such a young age taught me
that money really is not the most important
thing in life,” he says, and it has in no way
diminished his drive to succeed at whatever
business ventures he may pursue in life.
For the present, he is looking forward to
the honour of being featured next spring
on the television show Entrepreneur NL.
Anything seems possible for this ambitious
entrepreneur . . . so stayed tuned.
Book a table for dinner now
at thefifthticket.com. +