A Toronto Bar Is Closing Forever After Their 'Greedy' Landlord Demanded Over $150K
Another beloved bar has bit the dust. The Office Pub is among several Toronto bars closing since the start of the pandemic, but this one isn’t going down quietly. After nine years of serving the city's downtown, The Office Pub was told to pay up $156,000 immediately or be evicted.
The bar's decision came after weeks of ignored pleas for reduced rent and "an unfair lease expectation from our greedy landlord," they detailed in an Instagram post.
The bar's landlord also failed to apply for a rent subsidy from the government.
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The owner of the pub made it clear that, in his nine years of tenancy, he has never once been late on a payment — until the pandemic hit.
Like many other Toronto restaurants and bars, The Office Pub could not keep up with their rent payments while it was forced to remain closed.
Now that the city-wide eviction ban has lifted, the bar's landlord wants everything owed to them, $156,000 in total, to be paid immediately.
The pub "unfortunately couldn’t overcome the challenges."
“To all the awesome staff, [..] we sincerely appreciate all your hard work and commitment. It's been a privilege and a pleasure to serve such an incredible, dedicated and passionate community,” the company wrote in their goodbye message to patrons.
From May 1 to August 31, landlords were not able to enforce evictions themselves. They could not change the locks or seize any assets.
However, they could go to court to get an eviction order, but that order could not be enforced until after September 1.
Now that those protections are gone, businesses like The Office Pub could suffer.
It's just one of many Toronto restaurants and bars that have had to close their doors due to the pandemic.
Shops such as Pretty Ugly in Parkdale and Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken on King Street West have also permanently shut their doors due to rent disputes.
Many of the beloved establishments left standing are faced with tough financial times ahead. Now's definitely the time to support local.