Hidden Toronto venue that was a favourite for weddings and concerts is permanently closing
A Toronto event venue and multi-use space has announced they're closing permanently.
Jam Factory owners Shannon Refvik and Kristin Light who run Refvik & Light Productions wrote their heartfelt goodbye announcement over the weekend.
"We fought hard to hang on through the seemingly endless lockdowns that kept our doors locked shut this past year," they wrote.
The building has been sold, and they don't know anything about future plans for the space other than that it doesn't include their vision of a "fabulously retro-rustic event/music venue."
"The building went into receivership, was listed for sale, and multiple offers were made that all required the building to be quickly vacated by all tenants. I do not know who purchased the building, or what their plans for it are," Light tells blogTO.
"It all happened so fast. One minute you're planning to reopen, the next you're emptying the cupboards into boxes."
Located in Riverside, the 3,000-square-foot industrial revitalized venue played host to events from rock shows to weddings.
The building was also home to Forbes Wild Foods and Southpaw Technology, which Light says have varying exit dates and are finding new spaces, and main floor cafe Merchants of Green, which she doesn't know the future plans of.
The space has been operating as The Jam Factory for almost five years. The event venue had briefly reopened for safely distanced events when allowed around late summer of last year.
Last summer, they closed their other venue, The Richmond, so they were familiar with the possibility of closure and having to refund clients.
"We danced, we sang, we created, we betrothed – The Jam Factory was every inch the mixed-use hub we'd hoped it would turn out to be," the post continues. "Without you, it was just an empty room."
They were planning on throwing a big fifth anniversary bash, but instead, they have to be moved out by June 30, but remaining clients have all been contacted and refunds are being distributed.
"As for our future plans, we truly don't know at this point. We each plan to take some time to process and grieve and figure out what to do next," says Light.
"There will be life after the pandemic. It's just a bit of a mystery at this point what shape that life will take."
blogTO
