JasonParis
Moderator
Barn gets its groove back
By JAMES DUBRO
After more than two years stuck in legal limbo, legendary Church Street gay hangout the Barn may at last be reopening.
According to Tom Ricketts, executor of the estate of former owner Janko Naglic, both the business and the building have been sold in a deal that is due to be finalized very soon.
The identity of the new owners is a secret, at least for now. Don Mulholland, the real estate broker who engineered the deal, will only say they are two gay entrepreneurs "with a proven track record in gay enterprises."
But they do not yet want to be named while they sort out details and work with Councillor Kyle Rae and his staff to address past noise concerns of the McGill/Granby Village Residents' Association that may get in the way of liquor licence renewal.
In the nearly 30 years he owned the Barn, Naglic had a lot of problems with the police regarding alleged liquor licence infractions, mostly involving overcrowding and nude dances run by Totally Naked Toronto, better know as TNT Men. TNT Men now holds its dances at the Alibi bar on Yonge Street.
Mulholland says the Barn could reopen as early as this fall, once major structural problems between the first and second floors revealed two years ago after a small renovation and fire damage are repaired.
A lively and popular Facebook site with postings from more than 200 former Barn habitués has been full of speculation about reopening. It's not a rumour any more.
news@nowtoronto.com
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More info at this Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4583559099
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Personally I hope the "new" Barn is two things...
1. Structurally safe
2. Your classic dirty gay bar
By JAMES DUBRO
After more than two years stuck in legal limbo, legendary Church Street gay hangout the Barn may at last be reopening.
According to Tom Ricketts, executor of the estate of former owner Janko Naglic, both the business and the building have been sold in a deal that is due to be finalized very soon.
The identity of the new owners is a secret, at least for now. Don Mulholland, the real estate broker who engineered the deal, will only say they are two gay entrepreneurs "with a proven track record in gay enterprises."
But they do not yet want to be named while they sort out details and work with Councillor Kyle Rae and his staff to address past noise concerns of the McGill/Granby Village Residents' Association that may get in the way of liquor licence renewal.
In the nearly 30 years he owned the Barn, Naglic had a lot of problems with the police regarding alleged liquor licence infractions, mostly involving overcrowding and nude dances run by Totally Naked Toronto, better know as TNT Men. TNT Men now holds its dances at the Alibi bar on Yonge Street.
Mulholland says the Barn could reopen as early as this fall, once major structural problems between the first and second floors revealed two years ago after a small renovation and fire damage are repaired.
A lively and popular Facebook site with postings from more than 200 former Barn habitués has been full of speculation about reopening. It's not a rumour any more.
news@nowtoronto.com
-------
More info at this Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4583559099
------
Personally I hope the "new" Barn is two things...
1. Structurally safe
2. Your classic dirty gay bar