The unexpected closure of Bar Hop Brewco at the beginning of this year came as a huge blow to Toronto, with the restaurant’s rooftop patio having served as one of the greatest not just in the Entertainment District, but in the entire city, for nearly a full decade.
The expansive third-floor outdoor space and its views of downtown were a must-visit for locals during the warmer months, with dozens of different types of craft beers, pub-style grub, sunshine, and good vibes on tap.
While the terrace was nearly always packed when open, business was apparently not good enough for the multi-level restaurant — which was the second location from Bar Hop and had more than 160 seats — to survive, especially post-COVID.
Given that the closure happened all the way back in January, there was reasonable hope that the prime downtown space would end up occupied by a new venture come summer. The sales representative for the property at the time even confirmed to blogTO before Bar Hop officially closed its doors on Jan. 18 that there was a conditional offer on the table that was in the midst of being finalized.
But, a walk past the 137 Peter Street address as recently as this week shows the defunct establishment still bearing (updated) for lease signs as we approach the midpoint of summer.
The sales rep, who is no longer attached to the property, confirmed to blogTO on Monday that the site is indeed back on the market under new agents at CBRE, and that the restaurant is still permanently closed, though the original Bar Hop at 391 King Street West remains open.
But it’s unfortunate to see such a large and beautiful outdoor space at such a coveted location going to waste amid peak patio season, especially given how residents of our ever-expanding city are always eager to make the most of the few short months of summer that we have.
It’s also, sadly, not rare for such quality real estate in the city to end up sitting vacant and unused for months, or even years. Our fingers are crossed that the space finds new tenants with a fitting new concept to bring to the area sometime in the near future.
