Toronto smash burger pop-up is taking over restaurants and causing chaos
A Toronto pop-up has been causing chaos on the streets of Toronto, alarming foodies by making them think their favourite restaurants are closing down.
Fresh off their biggest pop-up to date at Sugo, the co-owners of Closing Soon, Mark Taino and Jason Williams, are proving that there's more to their burger business than a clever — if concerning — name.
Taino and Williams started their pop-up journey a little over a year ago, but long before that, the two were smashing burgers in backyards, hosting what they call "Fam Jams": gatherings that brought together friends and family members for socializing and fun.
The two first connected through mutual friends nearly five years ago, initially bonding over "Call of Duty" before eventually meeting in person. The chemistry was immediate, and a friendship quickly formed.
In the Fam Jam heyday, there was never any underlying motive for the two to make a business out of it. They enjoyed laughing with friends, gathering regularly to talk about what was going on in their day-to-day and flipping burgers on the new flat blackstone grill Williams got one Father's Day.
Burgers were not only the easiest form of food to whip up for a larger group of their friends, but they were also the most exciting to experiment with; if you ask Taino, the decision to focus on burgers was easy because, "We just love burgers."
"Putting a twist on a burger is fairly simple," adds Taino, "we can really be creative."
Initially, that creativity was exclusive to the friends and family who attended their Fam Jams. But after realizing they were cooking up something hot, feelings started to shift.
No business proposal or formal handshake became the deciding factor for the two to update their relationship status from friends to business partners. After a few low-stakes jokes made about the two needing to team up and sell their burgers to the masses, one day it didn't seem so funny anymore.
"It became a joke, honestly, the whole idea of [hosting a burger pop-up]," says Taino. "Then we started tossing ideas around and eventually looked at each other and thought, 'Should we really do this?'"
And just like that, it became a reality.
Friends in the restaurant industry were immediately supportive, offering up their spaces and encouraging the duo to take full reins in the planning process.
"The first pop-up, we thought it was going to be a one-and-done," Williams tells blogTO, "so we used [the name Closing Soon] as an excuse to troll and just wanted to have fun with it."
Little did they know they were creating something special.
Since their first pop-up, Williams and Taino have stepped into the kitchen of some of Toronto's favourite eats. Gladstone House, Shakers Club, and Sonndr, to name a few. Although a small team, they are mighty in community.
"Mark [Taino] is the head chef; he comes up with a lot of the recipes at Closing Soon," Williams tells blogTO. "We do all our own marketing; we treat Closing Soon more so as a brand, we put a lot of effort into it, and it's not something I see many others doing around the city."
The brand has become something that has caused panic for anyone casually strolling by a space in which Closing Soon has taken over. With companies giving the team full creative freedom both in and outside of the kitchen, it makes sense why anyone walking past Sugo with the words 'Closing Soon' slapped on the front might have a cow.
"Sugo was a dream already," Williams tells blogTO, "and it was exciting to be able to make that a reality."
At each pop-up, Taino and Williams tailor the menu to match the aura and culture that the venue already exudes.
The pop-up at Sugo has been their largest one yet — a five-piece menu consisting of three burgers: The Emerson Burger featuring their special Closing Soon sauce; the Smashed Caesar, where they literally slapped a Caesar salad on top of a 4oz patty; and the Tito Conzo, a chicken cutlet or eggplant on a bun smeared in every savoury fanatic's top choices.
For a side, they offered Loaded Tots, tater tots covered in bolognese sauce, sour cream, parmesan, parsley and tomato and a dessert of the gods — Tiramisu Silvana, layers of meringue and smooth French butter cream from Tito Parley's.
The Sugo pop-up was a success, and although the duo manages a lot of their business on their own, they are eternally grateful for the team of friends who consistently support them both in front and back of house.
Even further in the future, the team dreams internationally. Williams hints that the ball is rolling in making that dream a reality, but nothing has been set in stone just yet.
In terms of a brick-and-mortar in Toronto, well, it has been something they've discussed; the next step would be figuring out how to approach the idea and bring it to fruition.
Closing Soon is a smash burger pop-up moving throughout Toronto on a first-come, first-served basis, so follow them on Instagram to be in the know about where they'll stop by next.
blogTO
