Team behind Toronto's beloved Early Mercy launching new club this week

A new Toronto nightclub from the team behind King West's iconic Early Mercy is about to open for business, and it might just be their best yet.

By the time Early Mercy was forced to close permanently in early 2025, owner Albert Rishes had already set the wheels in motion for his latest venture.

Initially slated to open in mid-2025, he didn't expect the roadblocks that would eventually delay it, but on the precipice of Halloween weekend, it couldn't be a better time to debut his new baby.

At long last, nearly a year after Early Mercy closed its doors, the new club is primed to open for business this weekend, and it has all the trappings of a new staple in the nightlife-heavy neighbourhood.

Meet Sunrise Forgives. If you were among Early Mercy's evangelical fanbase, you'll be glad to hear it's just a stone's throw from the old place, and it maintains the same tongue-in-cheek, low-key charm of its forebearer.

Taking over the space that was formerly home to the short-lived Ristorante Sociale, Sunrise Forgives is something of an Early Mercy 2.0, with subtle nods to the old club and Rishes' other iconic club, the Stirling Room, repackaged for a new generation of patrons.

"Early Mercy's tagline was 'Sunrise Forgives,' so I think of it as kind of a rebirth of the old spot," Rishes tells blogTO. 

It's only fair, then, that the club takes on a subtle resurrection theme in its artwork and decor. Amid all the dancing and drinks, keep an eye out for tongue-in-cheek references to religious imagery, which gives the whole space a sense of levity. 

A sprawling mural that references Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" is installed above the bottle service booths, only, in this version, the roles have been filled by legendary late musicians. John Lennon plays Jesus, while Bob Marley, bafflingly, takes Judas's spot.

Another mural, which hangs outside the club where the line to enter will ultimately form, is a real point of pride for Rishes and is sure to become one of the club's most identifiable features.

In it, a woman (ostensibly a sex worker) stands handcuffed against a police cruiser, while Jesus stands between her and the officers.

"It was originally meant for Early Mercy, but our investors thought it was too controversial and wouldn't let us put it up," Rishes explains. When it came time to begin building Sunrise Forgives, it was too perfect a fit to pass up.

Still, fans of the late Early Mercy and Stirling Room will be able to find references to the old clubs at Sunrise Forgives, too.

The wraparound onyx bar, for example, is an allusion to the similar one that commanded the Stirling Room, and salvaged pieces from Early Mercy's wall of hipsters hang on the ceiling.

The nucleus of Early Mercy and Stirling Rooms' charm was always the casual playfulness of it all. On any given night, you could find yourself tossing a drink back with Rishes himself before disappearing into the anonymity of a club not built to be seen at, but experienced in community with your fellow clubgoers.

Sunrise Forgives promises to bring a dose of that very same energy back to King West: a welcome change as the neighbourhood becomes increasingly polished, more curated for Instagram feeds than actual fun.

Sunrise Forgives is located at 545 King St. W. and will officially open on Thursday, Oct. 30.