A chic, sleek new bar is gearing up to open its doors in Toronto, but a complaint from one neighbour is standing in its way.
Though it has yet to open its doors, Bosque, a new neighbourhood watering hole due to move in on Broadview Avenue, has already generated a fair amount of hype, largely thanks to the killer team attached to it.
The new bar is the brainchild of Jared and Addis, former team members at The Wren and Lake Inez — two east-end institutions that have gained major reputations for their next-level menus and cocktail offerings.
Following in the tradition of the restaurants where they cut their teeth, Jared and Addis’ vision for Bosque is for the bar to be a low-key neighbourhood haunt; a space for the community to meet and gather free from the stuffy, sceney vibes that so often plague stylish new spots in the city.
Though many of the finer details about what Bosque will serve are being closely held until they open, even the general concept seems like a no-brainer, especially for as tight-knit a neighbourhood as the Danforth.
Not everyone, it seems, shares that opinion, though.
On Tuesday, July 15, Jared and Addis took to Bosque’s burgeoning Instagram account to appeal to the community for help getting over an unanticipated hurdle that’s been preventing the bar from opening.
“We’re so close to finally being open,” the post reads, “but we need your help…”
They go on to explain that after investing the past year and their entire life savings into building the bar out into the space of their dreams, on the precipice of opening, one neighbour objected to Bosque’s liquor licence application.
“This has put our personal and business future in jeopardy,” they explain.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) allows public objections to liquor licence applications to be made when an application has been filed for an address that hasn’t had a liquor sales licence for the past six months.
The objector is required to include the basis of their objection and, if the commission decides that the objection is neither “frivolous nor vexatious,” they’ll move forward with a public meeting between the applicant, objector and a representative from the AGCO.
In the wake of the complaint Bosque received, a meeting has been scheduled, and Jared and Addis are tasked with dispelling the objector’s concerns and proving to the commission that the bar will be, by and large, a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. For the latter piece, they’re appealing to the community for assistance.
The Bosque team has launched a petition where all those in favour of the bar opening can sign their names to support Bosque’s cause before they meet with the AGCO.
“We’re planning for Bosque to be a quiet spot for you and our local community to have a drink, grab a snack and just relax outside of the hustle and bustle of the Danforth,” Jared and Addis write on the form to clarify what Bosque is all about.
“A simple, beautiful space, with a thoughtfully curated list of beer, cocktails, natural wines and light snacks. We’ve built the kind of place that we want to hang out in, and we hope that you will too!”
Despite being live for less than 24 hours at the time of publication, the Instagram post has already garnered a wave of support, even getting re-shared by The Wren and Lake Inez.
“I know you to be sincere and respectful neighbours that will create a great community asset,” one person commented on Bosque’s Instagram post.
“Done! I look forward to seeing this endeavour match the success of Lake Inez and The Wren,” wrote another.
In the meantime, despite the public outpouring of support, the future of Bosque hangs in the balance. Only time will tell when the Danforth will finally be able to see what Jared and Addis have been cooking up.
