31 h. ago Toronto neighbourhood brewery issues candid note as it closes permanently

A Toronto brewery that's been a summertime staple in its neighbourhood for years has closed permanently.As someone who spent the first quarter-century of my life living in The Beach(es), I've seen firsthand just how hard it can be for restaurants to stay alive along the Queen East strip.Yes, members of the neighbourhood ride hard for their local businesses, and a handful have managed to stand the test of time, but when a small window of summertime business accounts for a large majority of the area's foot traffic, it's difficult to make it work.The latest neighbourhood casualty was something of a local success story, having been in business for the past six years, but hey, all good things must come to an end, right?As of Wednesday, Dec. 3, Beaches Brewing Co. has closed permanently.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Beaches Brewing Company ™ (@beachesbrewco)In the ...

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54 h. ago Toys 'R' Us closing dozens of stores across Canada including multiple in Toronto

Toys "R" Us Canada, which was once a dominant force in the country's retail landscape before online giants like Amazon took over, is shrinking at a rapid pace, with at least 38 stores to permanently close by early next year, and a further 12 locations up for sale.In Toronto, it appears as though the closures are all happening at once. In early November, liquidation signs started popping up at the Toys "R" Us at Dufferin Mall, followed by "store closing" banners at the entrance. The location is expected to shut its doors shortly after the holiday season in January, joining a list of stores that are set to disappear by early next year.The chain retailer, which was once the world's largest toy store, has struggled under massive debt over the past few years, as other massive companies, including Amazon and Walmart, have reshaped the industry. The retailer's U.S. parent company officially filed for bankruptcy in 2017, although its ...

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2 d. ago Vancouver Island mill latest to close in B.C., 350 jobs lost

A pulp mill on Vancouver Island is permanently ending operations, the latest mill to close in the province, affecting around 350 employees. Domtar said in a statement Tuesday that continued poor pricing for pulp and lack of access to affordable fibre in British Columbia necessitates the closure of its pulp mill in Crofton. “These decisions […]

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8 d. ago Thai restaurant in Toronto has closed and here's what's already replaced it

A contemporary Thai restaurant in downtown Toronto has permanently closed its doors after just six months in business due to trademark and branding issues.Same Same (Thai) but Different, formerly located in the Entertainment District, was a modern, refreshing take on Thai cuisine, with dishes like grilled pork cheeks, crispy shrimp toast, egg fried rice, beef holy basil, and of course, pad Thai. Meals were accompanied by a signature cocktail menu inspired by characters from HBO's The White Lotus.  The restaurant was helmed by Chef Warakorn "Tempo" Suriyawong, who led the team at Vancouver's Song (by Kin Kao) to Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. In an unexpected turn of events, staff at the restaurant revealed this week that Same Same had closed due to "branding matters," as another company owns the trademark for "same same but different."     View this post on Instagram    &n...

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1 week ago Asian restaurant in Toronto permanently closes after 39 years in business

A long-standing Asian restaurant on Queen Street West has quietly closed its doors after nearly four decades in business, marking the end of an era for a block of Toronto known for its high turnover and rapid change. Saigon Flower Restaurant, located at 1138 Queen St. W., has permanently closed its doors without an official announcement. The family-run spot first opened up in 1986, long before the arrival of the Drake Hotel, which would later transform the block. Since opening, the restaurant's signature bright yellow sign has become a familiar landmark, and sat for years between two Drake Hotel properties on Queen Street West near Beaconsfield Avenue. The restaurant was known for its comforting mix of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese dishes, including spring rolls, chicken balls, and steaming bowls of pho. Throughout the years, owner Rose Vuong had been reportedly approached a few times with offers to sell to the Drake but declined, and continued to run the...

Economics

2 w. ago Toronto snack store has permanently closed due to rent increase

A Vietnamese snack store in Toronto known for its banh mi has officially closed its doors after only a year in business. Saigon Snacks is just the latest store to bid farewell to the busy Ossington strip, just a few months after celebrating its one-year anniversary. The humble snack store became a reliable place to grab a quick coffee, milk tea, smoothie, or treat, including build-your-own banh mi with your choice of protein, from grilled chicken and grilled pork to cold cuts or fish cake. If you were craving something sweet, there was no shortage of desserts to choose from, including bubble waffles and durian crepes. Despite building a regular fanbase, the snack store took to its Instagram page earlier this month to announce it was closing its doors on Nov. 9. Staff explained that the store was closing due to a rent increase, but that it would hopefully reopen in a new location "when the time's right."     Vi...

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2 w. ago Viral bakery with loyal following permanently closes Toronto location

A Toronto bakery known for its inventive Vietnamese-inspired desserts has officially shut down one of its locations. LA LA Bakeshop, founded in Toronto by partners Brian Tran and Harry Pham, along with their friend Michelle Pham, first opened up in the summer of 2021 and quickly became known for its nostalgic yet creative approach to signature Southeast Asian flavours. Menu items include cakes in a variety of flavours, like pandan sticky rice, salted egg, Vietnamese coffee, taro, and durian, as well as mini cakes, roll cakes, croissants, and buns, in flavours such as crème brûlée, matcha, and pistachio. In a message shared to its Instagram page, the bakery's team announced that its Annex shop, located at 346A Bloor St. W., was due to close on Nov. 17. The team expressed gratitude to its customers while acknowledging how bittersweet the news felt, although they redirected patrons to the other locations and hinted that more informa...

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3 w. ago Staple Toronto restaurant closes permanently after over 25 years

A Toronto restaurant that has been a neighbourhood staple for the past 25 years has officially closed for good.There was a time when Little Portugal, the strips of Dundas West and College between Dovercourt and Lansdowne, was, more or less, the only place in the city where you could find great Portuguese food.That was decades ago, mind you, and, in the years since, Portuguese cuisine, much like every other global influence in the city, has outgrown the bounds of its historic enclave and planted roots in nearly every neighbourhood. Now, you don't have to look farther than a few blocks in any given corner of the city to sink your teeth into simmering fish stews or salty sardines; the city is rife with stalwart institutions that do Portuguese cuisine proud.In the case of the Junction Triangle, one such staple, since 1998 anyway, has been Piri Piri Grill.Fittingly named for Portugal's most ubiquitous culinary export, piri piri chicken, the restaurant has been a le...

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3 w. ago A Toronto neighbourhood's most iconic restaurant may be gone for good

A Toronto restaurant that defined its neighbourhood may have closed its doors permanently after being kicked out by its landlord.Kensington Market is known for a lot of things: thrifting, colourful community atmosphere, tacos, to name only a few. But, for me and plenty of others, at least, it's always been the scent of jerk chicken getting charred on an outdoor grill drifting up and down Kensington Avenue, embedding itself into my hair and clothes on sticky summer days.The source of the aroma? None other than Rasta Pasta, a stalwart on the strip for over a decade, beloved for its dual concept serving an affordable menu of Caribbean classics, traditional Italian pastas and, best of all, fusion dishes that blend the two.There's nary a soul that has visited Kensington Market and hasn't eaten at Rasta Pasta or, at the very least, been intrigued by its name and enticed by the fragrant air it emits.That's what makes it particularly heartbreaking to deliver t...

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3 w. ago Toronto holiday tradition is officially dead but here are 5 fun replacements

Toronto's iconic holiday windows at Hudson's Bay are officially a thing of the past, but that doesn't mean you can't fill that hole in your holiday to-do list with another fun tradition.The themed window vignettes at the former department store's flagship location at Queen and Yonge were a beloved seasonal tradition, first halted by transit investment.What began as a temporary interruption — Ontario Line construction halted the displays in 2023 — quickly became permanent after the retail giant filed for credit protection and officially closed its Toronto flagship store earlier this year.With these beloved vignettes no longer part of Toronto's festive season, you may be looking for other traditions to fill the gap. Luckily, the city has plenty to offer this time of year.Here are five seasonal attractions to help you move on from the loss of the holiday windows at Hudson's Bay.Holiday at The WellThe Well's Nordic-inspired holiday m...

Society

4 w. ago West Fraser to shut mill in 100 Mile House, B.C., amid market challenges

100 MILE HOUSE — West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. will permanently close its mill in 100 Mile House, B.C., by the end of this year, putting roughly 165 people out of work. It says in a statement that the mill is no longer able to reliably access enough economically viable timber. West Fraser says challenging […]

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4 w. ago The axe falls on 100 Mile House mill: West Fraser to shutter facilities on both sides of the border

Industry challenges and tariffs combine to close two mills, make temporary closures of two others permanent

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4 w. ago The axe falls on 100 Mile House: West Fraser to shut mills on both sides of the border

Industry challenges and tariffs combine to close two mills, make temporary closures of two others permanent

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