Brunswick House closing down after 140 years

A popular bar in downtown Toronto is closing its doors for good after nearly a century-and-a-half in business.

Since 1876, Brunswick House, located at the corner of Bloor Street and Brunswick Avenue, has been serving up drinks to a variety of patrons, starting with blue collar workers and new immigrants in the late 19th century.

The bar has been most popular with university students since the 1960s and 70s.

But on Tuesday, the bar announced in a Facebook post that it will close permanently at the end of the month.

“It is with great pride and sorrow that I announce the legendary Brunswick House will be closing on March 31 after 140 years of memory making history,” current owner Abbis Mahmoud said in the post. “Everything comes to an end and like an undefeated champion, the Brunny must now retire on top and more beautiful and better than ever.”

The tavern, known colloquially as “the Brunny,” was told in November that the owner of the building that houses the bar had terminated the lease.

A statement on the Harbord Village Residents’ Association’s website said that “as of Dec. 31 the Brunswick House will remain only on a month-by-month basis until a new tenant is found.”

Boston Pizza has since told CP24 that it is interested in the space.

Mahmoud’s Facebook post invited all patrons and former owners of the bar for “one last dance” on March 31.

“I want to thank the Brunny herself for all the great memories, all the good times, and for all the epic fights, the fights to re-open the Brunny and stay open against all odds,” he wrote.