Toronto club shocked after someone steals all their alcohol and sound equipment

Owners of a club in Toronto's Junction neighbourhood are reeling this week after a brazen break-in robbed them of thousands of dollars in alcohol and specialized sound equipment used to put on their popular nightly events.

While opening up for the evening on Friday, August 1, staff at Cafeteria — a vibey independent space at 1650 Dupont Street — found that the establishment's back door had been busted open sometime overnight.

Upon further investigation, it unfortunately became evident quite quickly that the financial damage went far beyond just a broken door, with the space's entire gear collection, save for a few items, as well as all of its bar stock, gone without a trace.

In total, a whopping 17 pieces of pricey tech were taken from the premises, ranging from turntables and multi-players to amps, speakers and cables. One of those stolen, a Pioneer DJM-A9 professional mixer, is worth approximately $4,000 just on its own.

Crushed, the team quickly took to social media to solicit tips from the community, outlining everything that had been lifted in a detailed post on Monday in the hopes that someone might spot the equipment out in the wild.

"Our beloved space, Cafeteria, suffered a devastating and deliberate break-in and robbery... we're still in shock, but we're doing everything we can to gather the gear we need to keep operating," the post reads.

Owners Gary and Dylan go on to explain how big the hit is to the small business, which was "built from the ground up with love, sweat, and the limited resources of our two small businesses."

"We've invested everything into Cafeteria and have yet to recoup our initial investment," the duo writes, adding that given how the space has proven integral as "a hub for music, community, and culture" in the area, they are "committed to keeping it alive" despite the crappy circumstances.

And, part of their efforts to get back on their feet will take the form of what they do best: a party.

This Thursday, August 7, Cafeteria will be hosting a fundraising shindig to try and raise both funds and spirits, with a pay-what-you-can model that perfectly exemplifies the heart and soul of the business — a heart and soul that has garnered them a ton of rightful support thus far.

In less than 24 hours, the Instagram post about the regrettable incident has racked up more than 5,400 likes, 2,100+ shares and hundreds of comments, while a GoFundMe launched by a friend looking to help the indie spot out has exceeded its $15k goal, sitting at more than $15.5k at the time of publication.

Tickets for the fundraiser can be purchased online, with the lineup TBA, and between the good cause and the fact that Cafeteria certainly knows how to throw a party, there's no doubt the energy will be great.