Eat & Drink
Hot Box Cafe to become lounge at Roach-O-Rama
It won't have Hot Box's famous "Freakin' French Toast" or "Chronic Quesadillas," but the new Hot Box Lounge will be a spot for regulars to convene after the Cafe's closure.
Hot Box Cafe — one of Toronto's most beloved pot-positive spots — will shut down its 11-year operation this coming weekend. The BYOP cafe (Bring Your Own Pot; that is, "no dealing, fishing, mooching or asking") is losing its home to Jimmy's Coffee, which purchased the building at 191 Baldwin from its current owner.
"Actually, I heard about it from you guys," owner Abi Roach tells me as she prepares to close up the business. Despite their long relationship, Abi says her landlord didn't tell her about the sale. "It doesn't matter at this point, though," she says. "Essentially, we're just going to move; no point in fighting rich people."
Hot Box is going to move in back of Roach-O-Rama at 204 Augusta and operate pretty much as a vapour lounge. Though the space is currently being renovated to include bathrooms, Abi hopes it will be open by the end of next week.
"We're probably going to keep it as a lounge for a year or two," Abi says. "After that, we'll see what happens." She adds that the lounge will likely offer small snacks and munchies, but not full meals. Someone has also offered Abi a pool table, and she says that if she finds the space, she'll fit it in the lounge as well.
As for the Cafe, Hot Box is in full liquidation mode. Friday will be "All-You-Can-Eat" for $10 all day ("Stoners will have no problem with that," Abi quips), as the kitchen tries to make use of most of its remaining food. After a final "goodbye" party on Saturday and TBD for Sunday, Hot Box Cafe will host an equipment sale Monday, clearing out the rest of its kitchen. Then it's onto the Roach.
I ask Abi how regulars have responded to news of the closure/move. "There's more excitement than sadness," she says. "And we're excited, so that helps. It'll still be the same place in essence."
"Kensington's my hood," she adds. "I've been a resident for 20 years, plus the cafe. There's no way I'm leaving."
First photo by Derek Flack / second by William Kimber
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you mean the owner of the property that you were leasing on a month to month basis, who had the building up for sale the entire time you were there? yeah, what a 1% bastard!
Today, 1:00pm - 4:20pm in UTC-03
Where
2230 Main St. hwy 620 Coe Hill Ontario
Dr.Kamermans patients and supporters :
We are planning a big patient get together in Coe Hill at the clinic to support the Dr. and Mary Kamermans before their first court date.
We will make colorful banners and lawn signs with our thank you messages. It will be like a group hug.
We will have local media(bancroft this week) a sun media company so the story will go nationwide if it gains attention enough
.It's important to show the damage caused to us patients too due to the raid and arrest.The reporter will be happy to hear from all of us and hear our story's. This will be a respectable gathering not a pot party. We will do our best to medicate discreetly as a sign of respect.
The cafe will be open for coffee,tea and snacks.
We've chosen Sat.Sept 15 from 1:00-4:20 in Coe Hill Ontario .
This way the story will hit the newsstands (digital version tuesday and paper on Wed. the day before court on Thursday Sept 20.
The plan is to do a big front page full color photo and accompanying story from our angle and to show our love,respect and support .
I look forward to meeting all who can make it.
We can arrange car pools or rental vans to get there and back for non drivers.
I'm exited are you!!!!
Coe Hill Clinic
2230 Main St. hwy 620
Coe Hill,Ont
K0L-1P0
(close to Bancroft)