aunty lucys toronto

Toronto destination for smash burgers is permanently closing

A concept that made a Toronto hotel a destination for smash burgers has announced they're permanently closing their physical location there.

Aunty Lucy's rose to prominence over lockdowns and even changed locations more than once, but now they're permanently closing down day-to-day operations at Annex Hotel.

Founder Chieff Bosompra wrote a lengthy announcement on social media.

"We will continue to still have pop-ups but will no longer have daily / delivery service for the time being here in Toronto," reads the announcement.

"All I wanted was to brand a business using a three day burger pop up as the canvas. So that potential clients could see what our agency @undisposablee could do for them and their business. I had no expectations for it to turn into a full fledged Quick Service Restaurant."

There are already other concepts interested in taking over their space at Annex Hotel.

"With the rising food costs as well as our reliance on delivery apps it was beginning to become a bit too much of a hassle. Also in our location you don't get much organic foot traffic. We started doing more pop-ups off site and I realized how much fun I was having," Bosompra tells blogTO.

"You'd keep an extra 30 per cent that would normally go out to third party apps. Outside of the business side I was getting a little bit fatigued being an operator, it's been an amazing two years and I'm proud to say I feel accomplished with my full time efforts in the food industry over that period. So I want to take a break from daily operations."

He's been brainstorming whether he wants to continue consulting and working in a creative space or lend his ideas to other industries.

"For Aunty Lucy's, as a brand we will still continue to grow, we just won't be available on a daily basis," says Bosompra. "It will be more selective pop-ups as we deem fit."

August 31 will be the last day for Aunty Lucy's at Annex Hotel, though you'll also be able to catch them past that at Smorgasburg on Sept. 3 and 10.

Lead photo by

Aunty Lucy's


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