Toronto's iconic Black Bull Tavern is up for sale

The Black Bull Tavern's future is uncertain after an almost two-century presence in Toronto.

A full 185 years since the bar first served thirsty patrons, the building home to the pub at 298 Queen Street West has been put up for sale, just months after the passing of its long-time owner.

Opened in 1838 — just four years after the Town of York became the City of Toronto — the Black Bull stands as one of the city's oldest watering holes.

While it has been around longer than the 1849-opened Wheat Sheaf, the Bull's decades-long absence from the bar scene before resuming business deprives it of the title of Toronto's oldest continuously operating bar.

After the passing of the bar's long-time owner this past summer, the family has opted to walk away from the watering hole, and the Black Bull has been put up for sale at an undisclosed price.

Janine Bartels, the granddaughter of the late former CFL player and owner, Bobby Taylor (who passed away in August), told blogTO in September that the property was soon to hit the market.

"I really hope whoever takes over the property does something special with it," said Bartels.

A listing for the property recently went live, and includes the adjacent townhome building at 3 Soho Street.

Any buyers looking to redevelop will encounter challenges due to the building's existing heritage protections. Situated in a Heritage Designated District, the Black Bull Tavern is also designated under Parts IV and V of the Ontario Heritage Act and is listed on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register.

While blocks to the south have undergone immense vertical growth in recent decades, Queen Street's low-rise character has remained intact, further limiting development opportunities for this site.

Renovation and conversion are the most likely options for whichever buyer scoops up the property.

Patrons of the Black Bull can rest easy in the meanwhile, as a closing date has not yet been announced for the popular watering hole.

The tavern has navigated its fair share of challenges in recent years, including a three-alarm fire in 2011 that largely spared the bar but gutted the apartments above, and surviving through the extended lockdown that shuttered much of the city in 2020 and 2021.