Toronto’s oldest bar, which is now closed permanently, has been purchased by the people between a popular King Street sports bar for the business’ second location in the city.
There was heartbreak the city over last week with the news that the Black Bull Tavern, Toronto’s oldest bar at nearly 200-years-old would be closing permanently on April 3.
Even more shocking, the bar ended up closing a day earlier than planned when the massive outpouring of supportive customers in the days leading up to the closure led the bar to completely run out of alcohol and food a day ahead of schedule.
While the Black Bull Tavern, being both a historical property and a community fixture, will certainly be missed, there is exciting news about what is in store for the future of 298 Queen West.
blogTO has confirmed that the property has been purchased by Score Pub Group, owners of King West’s Score on King, and the bar will become Score’s second Toronto location.
“We’ve been working closely with [the previous owners] for a few months on this deal,” Director of Operations for Score Pub Group, Mitch MacDougall, tells blogTO, adding that Score is “honoured to have the opportunity to take over the space.
Paying tribute to the long and storied history of the historic bar is of great importance, Mitch says, adding that they’ll be keeping artwork and elements that pay tribute to Bobby Taylor, the bar’s last owner, who operated the Black Bull from 1975 up until he passed away in 2023.
“The bar will be undergoing a bit of a glow up,” Mitch tells blogTO, noting that it’s been decades since any major work was done to the venue, “but the building’s not going anywhere.”
While the bar will be closed for the next several months as it undergoes a due facelift, Mitch adds that former employees of the Black Bull Tavern will be given front-of-the-line access to interviews when hiring begins on the new bar.
While the precise opening date of Score on Queen has yet to be determined, Mitch tells blogTO they’re optimistically projecting Toronto bar-goers will be able to sip one of Score’s famously outrageous Caesars on the Queen and Soho patio in late summer of 2024.
Lead photo by JHVEPhoto via Shutterstock
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