Toronto cafe-bar closing because operating in the city 'isn't sustainable'
A Toronto cafe and bar that's been candid about the highs and lows of operating in the city just announced it's going to close permanently, but with help from the community, the end of the road could be delayed slightly.
Shabri Kapoor, owner and operator of Berkley Street's Buvette Pacey, has always been honest about the challenges associated with running her bar, cafe and "neighbourhood hangout" in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Opening Buvette Pacey in 2023, Kapoor's goal was to create a space where every member of the neighbourhood and beyond feels a sense of welcome and belonging — a mission that, it's safe to say, she's succeeded in, even despite the external factors.
Still, even the best of intentions can be met with resistance in the form of a faltering economy and soaring overheads. In the face of such struggles, Kapoor took to social media in late 2025 to share a candid account of the obstacles she and her business were facing, announcing that, should things fail to turn around, the multi-concept gathering hub would be forced to shutter.
Now, nearly a year later, Kapoor has once again returned to Instagram to announce that the worst-case scenario has come true: Buvette Pacey will soon be forced to close.
In the video, Kapoor — joined by the eponymous Pacey — explains that, after trying her "absolute best to make this place work," it's no longer "sustainable" to keep it in business with the quality of ingredients and products she prides herself on offering.
From house-made flavouring syrups to top-grade matcha, Kapoor was never content to compromise on serving up the absolute best at Buvette Pacey, but that, paired with steep rent and other rising overheads, has hit the business's financial viability hard.
Rather than sacrificing quality, Kapoor explains, it's time to give up the ghost.
But it's not the end of Buvette Pacey just yet. Or rather, it doesn't have to be.
Kapoor explains that her goal is to keep the business open until the end of the year to mark its 3-year anniversary, but it'll need significant support for that to be possible. Without that support, Pacey could close its doors as early as October 2026.
In the caption of the post, Kapoor lists a variety of ways people can help keep Buvette Pacey alive until the end of the year, including signing up for the shop's wine subscription service, booking events and making donations, but if you also find yourself scavenging for change these days, you can always do your part by picking up a coffee or bottle of wine.
Buvette Pacey is located at 141 Berkeley St.
