Decades-old Toronto dive bar to be replaced by a 40-storey condo

A rendering of a 40-storey mixed-use building at King Street East.

A decades-old dive bar is set to close as the Toronto block it’s belonged to for 30-years is replaced by a 40-storey condo.

Betty’s on King, a Corktown staple at King and Princess streets, is set to shutter on Christmas Day. The final opportunity for nostalgia-soaked nachos will take place on Dec. 24.

“The whole strip has been sold to a developer and in its place will be condos,” a Betty’s employee told CTV News Toronto.

Along with Betty’s, a strip of two- and three-storey local businesses are turning into a mixed-use building with nearly 500 residential units at 250 King Street East.

“These buildings have greater potential to be home to a wide range of shops and services along with new residents,” the developer, EMBLEM Developments Inc., wrote on their website.

Two of the properties – 234 and 236 King Street East – are listed as city heritage sites. In 1888, the red brick building was constructed as a warehouse for a bedding manufacturer. To this day, a metal plaque is hung below the street address marking the inauguration of the first business, Chaney and Co Bedding.

In a heritage impact statement, the developer committed to “conserve the cultural heritage value” of the property by maintaining the street-facing side of the building.

While Betty’s on King is permanently closing, its sister restaurant in Leslieville will maintain its legacy. Despite the eastbound venture, loyalists don’t have to say goodbye to Betty’s stamped beer glasses.