City
Butler's Pantry Closing on Queen a Sign of the Times
In what has become a frequent sighting on West Queen West over the last few months, yet another long-time resident has closed their doors. The latest casualty is the popular restaurant and brunch spot Butler's Pantry. Like the rest of the stores and restaurants moving out of the neighbourhood, their lease came up and sky-rocketing rents have made it all but impossible to renew.
Butler's Pantry joins the Queen West deadpool that now also includes Just Us Cafe, Common Cloth and Fleurtje (now in the Distillery District) to name a few. Hold on to your jerk chicken, but rumoured to be next is a long time favourite - Albert's Jamaican.
Luckily, for fan's of Butler's Pantry, their sister locations on Roncesvalles and Markham Street are still alive and well and open for business.
Discussion
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Are rents on Queen West really that much higher than on Markham?
Businesses come and businesses go. Why don't we mourn the loss of the Stone Angel while we're at it? Mr. Pong's? Youri's Jewellery?
Eww, I hate it when they call Roncesvalles Ave "Roncesvalles Village." Sounds so developer-y.
Oh you said the d-word. now I have this in my head again.
I'll miss them, they had my favorite Moussaka in the neighbourhood.
Ben, that link was totally creepy.
Also, when did they add the "village" part. In the decade or so that I've been chilling (now living) there, it's always been just "Ronces" to me and my crew. Represent!
News has it that there'll be a Starbucks and Tim Hortons(?) at Queen and Bathurst.
The local Business Improvement Association has been branding it Roncesvalles Village for years:
http://www.roncesvallesvillage.ca
Still doesn't flow right, Tim.
That particular location of the Butler's Pantry never seemed to have the level of business that the other two did -- I don't imagine it was only a rent-levels thing.
Sugarmountain is gone to! Richmond, but still.
In response to the 1st comment, while I do not know the rent on Markham St. Queen West is completely out of control.
Just got a quote for a space on Queen between the Black Bull and Beverly (actually 2 spaces, was a travel agent and Storm Watches).
They are asking $145 per square foot!!!!!!
Which is out of reach to anyone without major corporate $ behind them.
Anyone seen the Payless Shoestore on the strip?
West of Spadina is still a reasonable $35-55 per sq. ft. However the foot traffic in West Queen West still lags Queen West and there is a high turnover rate for businesses.
The EKO jewelry store near Storm watches spent $100,000 on renovations for their 800 sq. ft. store so there is definitely money being made despite the high rents.
It starts with a word about the entire area. I take one look at someone proclaiming they hail from "West Queen West" and I want to vomit all over their double wide zero lobes and 'cool digital camera, man'. Can we get a just a momentary break from the asshole developers and Toronto art school fashion college dropout schmucks who insist in trumpeting their 'new studio' in the area as 'trendiest' when in fact it is little more than a crack-filled slum?
Trendy = Fuck off
Wow, "What a Joke" is filled with venom! Face it folks, the only constant in our downtown lives is change. Embrace it. Butler's was getting run down, it was over-priced and over-rated (especially when the bar was raised much higher across the street at Czehoski and PragueD), business was crappy, and walk-by traffic just kept on walking ... for good reason! I live in this neighbourhood and, like most of you, I love it too... yes, we should mourn our losses, for they have helped build our community, but things gotta change in order to stay fresh, and if you don't change, then you're fighting a losing battle.