Gourmet grocery store is permanently closing in Toronto due to financial troubles

A gourmet grocery store is closing for good after its owner has filed for creditor protection.

McEwan Enterprises Inc. filed filed for protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act at the end of September, claiming more than $10 million in liabilities.

55 per cent of McEwan Enterprises is owned by FairFax financial, the rest by celeb chef Mark McEwan, who's made appearances on Food Network shows.

Toronto restaurants owned by celeb chef Mark McEwan file for creditor protection https://t.co/O75BCF5YFT #Toronto #TorontoRestaurant #MarkMcEwan

— blogTO (@blogTO) October 4, 2021

McEwan Fine Foods at Yonge and Bloor will now be closing. The corporation also oversees restaurants Fabbrica, One Restaurant and Bymark.

McEwan Fine Foods sells many house McEwan products and lots of prepared foods made by house chefs, as well as luxury items such as caviar. The Yonge and Bloor location opened in 2019.

Its subterranean location stood at around 17,000 square feet, which included buffet-style eating and space for dine-in, which was shut down during lockdowns, impacting the business located in an office-heavy area. 

It's flanked by a Chick-Fil-A, and also located not far from another boutique grocery store which opened recently: Eataly at Bay and Bloor.

McEwan group restaurants to avoid if you don’t support @Chef_MarkMcEwan :
Bymark
ONE
Fabbrica
Diwan

I have eaten at most before McEwan revealed his proTrump antiMask vitriol; also before he filed for creditor protection. Not impressed; MANY better places to eat/support. #Toronto

— Corina Diaz (@corecorina) October 5, 2021

McEwan has been vocally opposed to lockdowns, saying his restaurants with proper protocols in place are safer than a Walmart and blaming them for the hospitality industry suffering. The court filing for creditor protection indicates that some McEwan businesses were suffering already pre-lockdown.

"At this time there is no confirmed closing date, our other two locations will remain open and we look forward to the future," McEwan group COO Eric McEwan tells blogTO. 

"Our Fabbrica Don Mills location has been closed for 18 months, we unfortunately do not see it reopening. We look forward to offering employment to all of our staff at McEwan Yonge and Bloor."

It appears that McEwan Enterprises will be transferred to a new corporation also owned by Mark McEwan and partners.