Iconic coffee shop that's been a neighbourhood fixture closing after 22 years in Toronto
A Toronto coffee shop that started in Kensington Market more than two decades ago is calling it quits at that location.
I Deal Coffee at 84 Nassau St. wasn't like other cafes in the city. It predated almost every decent cafe in the area but Moonbean and Casa Coffee and was the place to hang out with a quality cup of joe before the likes of Cafe Pamenar and Jimmy's Coffee arrived on the scene.
It made Nassau St. the epicentre of the market's counterculture with a distinct vibe that separated it from more prominent streets in the neighbourhood like Baldwin, Kensington and Augusta.
It was the original location of a small coffee chain and roastery that went on to open on streets like Ossington, Sorauren and a short-lived venture in north Toronto.
The company behind I Deal was sold in 2009 to Julie Galiatsos who told Drift Magazine last year that they made major changes to operations during the Ontario lockdown.
"We've had to temporarily lay some staff off. This has been the hardest." Galiatsos said.
"We roast our own coffee and have been doing this for 20 years. We roast fresh coffee every three days, so we're well known in the neighbourhoods we serve. We've been fortunate that our community comes to purchase bags of beans."
In a post to social media over the weekend, the cafe announced its permanent closure, stating that while the Nassau location would be closing, they're "still going strong" at their other locations and would be also announcing some new projects soon.
The last day for I Deal Coffee in Kensington is Tuesday, August 10.
Jesse Milns
