Struggling Toronto bagel shop launches campaign to raise $40K and relocate

Lox + Schmear, the small-batch fish smokehouse and bagel shop located in Toronto's St. Clair West neighbourhood, has sent out a cry for financial help.

Owner Lev Levine has launched a relocation and reopening campaign on GoFundMe to raise funds to move the restaurant to a new location in town.

The fundraising page details the challenges the business has faced in recent months. From improper HVAC installation to sprinkler-induced flooding that caused a five-week shutdown and the need for repairs, Lox + Schmear has had to fork out $26,000 from March to August of this year to stay afloat.

The team has now turned to the community for help after several shutdowns and unexpected repairs depleted its existing reserves.

Levine says the past few months have "been an unbelievably tough run" for the team, and they're feeling "super vulnerable and scared" to ask the local community for help.

Still, their faith in their regular customers, who often indulge in what the restaurant calls "the finest lox in town," has encouraged them to speak out publicly about their struggles.

The money raised from this campaign will help the sandwich shop secure a new commercial lease, cover the costs of surrendering its current lease early, and move its existing (and new) HVAC system, along with its entire kitchen, to the new location.

The GoFundMe campaign, which officially kicked off on Oct. 5 with a goal of raising $40,000, already has 235 donations and has reached over 50 per cent of its goal, with current funds at $21,258.

Levine is not accepting donations without giving something back. As a thank-you, she's introduced a tiered rewards system for anyone who has donated to the campaign, with prizes like a Lox Slicing Masterclass and restaurant-themed merch up for grabs.

If a monetary donation is beyond your means right now, Levine asks you to spread the word or stop by for a meal, both of which will go a long way for the struggling eatery. 

Lox + Schmear, which has historically made blogTO's list of top bagel spots in Toronto, is open Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 1030 St. Clair Avenue West.