The Bar Towel

https://bensbeerblog.com/2016/05/10/tor ... -28-years/

Some new developments, questions answered.

I'm sure they will have a celebration of sorts before actually closing. A little more incentive to stop by there a few extra times this summer...

admviolin wrote:https://bensbeerblog.com/2016/05/10/tor ... -28-years/

Some new developments, questions answered.

Yeah I heard the College St location will be chasing the sour/rotten beer trend. Hopefully they will also open a new location more in line with the original concept so we can continue to enjoy unique cask and fresh ales and lagers.

Sad news indeed. Supped my first pint there in August 2004 when I moved from the UK, and it quickly became my local. Met and made a lot of friends, regularly took over the patio with the usual crowd during the warmer months, had a lot of great (and not so great) beers, went to every Cask Days session from 2005 to 2009, and shared many a laugh and tear. Would love to be there for the final countdown to closure.

Oh well, it's no longer such a happening location anyway and College West is.

The way it's going Yonge Street may never be that cool, except for developers. And there's always room for another Volo in the east end...

Belgian wrote:Oh well, it's no longer such a happening location anyway and College West is.

The way it's going Yonge Street may never be that cool, except for developers. And there's always room for another Volo in the east end...

This is obviously a city wide problem. The large developments are sucking up all of the retail space available to independent and indigenous businesses. The condo boards and mall operators only want corporate chains with 'safe' credit histories as tenants. You can probably bet a restaurant or pub will go into that location, but it will be a corporate chain for sure. Also, the nearest Shopper's Drug Mart is a whole four blocks away, they'll need to put one of those in too.

I've really hated the layout of Volo especially when they switched to bar service. I hope whatever new location they find that the layout is better and can actually allow people to sit at the bar.

Can't wait for The Duke of Dundonald.

lister wrote:I've really hated the layout of Volo especially when they switched to bar service. I hope whatever new location they find that the layout is better and can actually allow people to sit at the bar.

Was slightly awkward yes. The layout at your local Bar Hop #1 is perfect. Can usually nip by for a pint at the cozy bar.

Belgian wrote:

lister wrote:I've really hated the layout of Volo especially when they switched to bar service. I hope whatever new location they find that the layout is better and can actually allow people to sit at the bar.

Was slightly awkward yes. The layout at your local Bar Hop #1 is perfect. Can usually nip by for a pint at the cozy bar.

Assuming you can get a seat at BH1 or even BH2. I'm constantly amazed at how quickly people can escape work and get to bars. I work just a few minutes walk away from both too. Ah well, it's a nice problem to deal with. Means BH is doing well and will stick around.

lister wrote: Means BH is doing well and will stick around.

Until the condo monster comes knocking...

Tapsucker wrote:

lister wrote: Means BH is doing well and will stick around.

Until the condo monster comes knocking...

They do have a HA solution in place though.

If that does happen hopefully they relocate nearby. It's such a nice short stagger home from BH1. I suppose I could live with the slightly longer stagger home from BH2. Speaking of nice problems to have...

I was thinking about Volo after the news was officially announced and it's funny to think that what they did to achieve fame is something that just about any bar *could* do, but few bars do - namely go all-in on great beer.

It's kind of crazy that it was picked up by so many media outlets. There was literally that Toronto city condo development sign next to the patio for a couple of years, or so it seemed. I thought everyone knew it was just a matter of time.

Cass wrote:I was thinking about Volo after the news was officially announced and it's funny to think that what they did to achieve fame is something that just about any bar *could* do, but few bars do - namely go all-in on great beer.

It's kind of crazy that it was picked up by so many media outlets. There was literally that Toronto city condo development sign next to the patio for a couple of years, or so it seemed. I thought everyone knew it was just a matter of time.

it's funny/weird to see Volo closing soon after Blue Monk closed.
but when you sit back and think about it, it's Volo's time. they carried the chalice for a long, long time. yonge st's an abysmal hole that only teenagers and tourists go to. there literally is next to no reason for a Torontonian to visit Yonge St now that Volo's going.

the Moranas always have tricks up their sleeves, so eager to see what happens.

Yes I recall 15 years ago when a beer 'Mecca' like Smokeless Joe's on John street was for its time pretty extraordinary. So Volo by comparison was downright exotic. They'll be back in killer form I have no doubt.

Downtown Yonge Street truly is a semi-wasteland, and definitely not turning into Broadway, New York City despite the perhaps too-late attempts to revive the dying Eaton Center / Dundas streetscape.

Not an inspiring thoroughfare of culture and excitement, nor particularly safe at night I would guess. I'd steer tourists away after dark to areas with a nicer vibe.