Bayside Lounge, West End icon for 47 years, closes at month's end
The panoramic cocktail bar overlooking English Bay and Davie-Denman will shutter after nearly five decades. No reason given.
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Bayside Lounge will close its doors at the end of October, ending 47 years of operation in the West End. The retro cocktail bar, perched on the corner of 1755 Davie St. above street level in the Best Western Hotel, overlooks the intersection of Davie and Denman and commands panoramic views of English Bay.
The bar announced the closure on social media Wednesday, saying the news "will be deeply felt by our entire Bayside family." The lounge said it would spend the coming weeks "sharing memories, celebrating our people and welcoming you back to enjoy Bayside together" before the final shutdown.
On Instagram and Facebook, the community response was swift and mournful. "This is the worst thing to ever happen to the westend. The entire community is heartbroken," wrote Amy Caswell. Laryssa Tavares shared that Bayside was her first job in Canada, where she "developed my English, made friends, met hundreds of people, grew personally and professionally, and created memories I'll carry with me forever."
Other patrons recalled milestone moments: Mindy Bahia-Sumel posted, "Got engaged there in 1986 and went for our divorce drinks in 2013!"
The bar did not state why it is closing. The venue's closure comes as the West End continues to evolve, with longtime gathering spaces becoming increasingly rare in the neighbourhood.
