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Originally Posted by TheDowntowner
That spot on Albert was originally Albert St burgers and then the owner retired. Then White Star opened there and he moved to the bigger location on Kennedy when Kennedy St Grill closed. And that place wasn't anything special, it was ok but nothing to mourn at the end of the day.
Vicki's then opened on Albert(she made an amazing fat boy btw) and was only staffed by Vicky and that was unfortunately a pandemic casualty IIRC. Danook seems to be going pretty strong in that location now though.
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White Star moved in part because of some serious landlord issues with the place on Albert. Not sure exactly how it worked out but Vicki seemed to get some of the most visible of them addressed early on.
Vicki was talking about closing long before the pandemic happened. From memory she did try to hire staff a couple of times but it just didn't work out. Similar story when White Star as in the spot. I think the biggest issue is the job needed a very reliable person for about three hours a day in the middle of the day. If you somehow had a gig working dinner at another place and could start at say 3 pm you could likely have made the Albert St job work out but it was definitely a niche they were trying to hit.
Also the Kennedy location was also home to Alexis Grill. I know the owners there retired and it was taken over by immigrants. I am not sure if that is where the Kennedy St Grill name was from or it is was a different version of the place. Going way back in time that location used to be a Sals.
Losing any one of these places isn't that big a deal but there seems to be a trend where places are closing downtown and not being replaced. Marcelo's in Hydro comes to mind and the full exit of Starbucks from downtown. Again nothing to morn there but there seem to constantly be fewer and fewer places to eat.