Establishments in the Mirvish Village are beginning to feel the affects of a community without Honest Ed’s.
The Mirvish Village, near Bloor and Bathurst, is preparing for a number of closures. The Victory Cafe will be one of them. After serving the neighbourhood with craft beer for over 25 years, the pub on Markham Street is shutting its doors at the end of the month.
Employees at the Victory Cafe blame the departure of Honest Ed’s for the numerous closures the Mirvish Village is seeing.
The Mirvish Village is a “second home, ” says Josh Bowslaugh, 28, a bartender at the café since early summer. He says this to be true also for many of the regulars he sees during the dinner rush.
“The next day [after Honest Ed’s closure] we opened up, there was a significant drop in people coming by because they thought once Honest Ed’s shut down, everything else shut down,” Bowslaugh said.
Familiar faces
Regulars describe the Victory Cafe as a comfortable and friendly spot where guests are able to experience the “Cheers effect.”
“It’s going to be a place that’s definitely going to be missed.” said Nix Prabhu, who has frequented the Victory Cafe since she moved to Toronto in 2001.
“I wish there was a way you could have progress that doesn’t trample upon heritage, but I have a feeling that’s the way our city is going.”
The Victory Cafe plans to hold two farewell events in celebration of its many years of operation. The first is Jan. 24 and the second Jan. 30. The bar officially closes on Jan. 31.