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Toronto about to get a little ugly --Coyote Ugly
Puja Uppal
National Post
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Coyote Ugly -- the rowdy U.S. bar chain so famous they made it into a movie and TV show -- plans to open its first Canadian location in Toronto's troubled Entertainment District.
The Coyote Ugly Saloon will move into 220 Adelaide St. W., one of two new bars opening between Simcoe and Duncan streets, according to a spokesperson from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Spokespeople for The Coyote Ugly Saloon would not comment.
The bar, known for its sexy female servers who sing, dance and serve alcohol from atop the bar, is scheduled to open early next year, as will a new club called Steam Drink & Soundbar nightclub. Coyote Ugly will have a capacity of close to 400, sprawled over two floors.
Don Rodbard, president of the King Spadina Residents Association, said he has reservations the bar may add to the already troublesome neighbourhood, which has been plagued by shootings and violence.
"Of course we have concerns, Coyote Ugly, yeah," Mr. Rodbard said. "They don't have a good image. The impression the world has is that this place is where you go to get drunk and pick up chicks if you're a guy and pick up guys if you're a chick."
Mr. Rodbard and his partner Rose Bayer, who live in the area, met last month with the bar's owners, including chain founder Liliana Lovell, where they were shown the floor plan. Although Ms. Lovell promised to keep bar patrons in check, Mr. Rodbard is concerned the bawdy reputation may cause a problem.
"My primary concern with Coyote Ugly or any decent-sized operation coming here is, what's going to happen at closing time," Mr. Rodbard said. "Living in a community where there are 73 nightclubs and 103 some bars and restaurants, you start to get a bit cynical about what you're being told."
There is room for a rooftop patio, but Mr. Rodbard said the owners have agreed to forgo the patio for now.
The local city councillor, Adam Vaughan, has no objection to the bar so long as the alcohol and gaming commission cracks down on any bar that breaks the rules.
''I've got liquor capacity in the area for more than 80,000 people. On any given weekend night I have more people drinking in the ward than living in the ward," said Mr. Vaughan. The ACGO is more interested in making excuses and slapping people on the wrist than taking step to ensure that the residents in my ward are not put at risk by their very liberal, very generous licensing policies."
AGCO spokesman Ab Campion said a number of nightclubs and bars have had licenses revoked due to shootings and the AGCO is hoping to work with the city to tighten the laws for nightclubs and bars.
''Mr. Vaughan has a habit of making off-the-cuff comments with very little to back him up," said Mr. Campion.
The New York-based bar grew notorious after former Coyote bartender Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a story about her experiences in Gentlemen's Quarterly magazine called "The Muse of the Coyote Ugly Saloon." A movie based on the bar, starring Piper Perabo and Maria Bello as the founder and owner of the Saloon, Liliana Lovell, soon followed, as did the reality show, The Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search, currently in its third season. The chain has 14 locations in the United States and is expanding internationally.
Said Mr. Vaughan: "As long as I have the assurance of the ACGO and the resources from the city to properly inspect, license and regulate and if necessary punish the bar owner, the more the merrier. I could care less if they get their jollies singing country and western songs, with shorts pants on a bar top."
Toronto about to get a little ugly --Coyote Ugly
Puja Uppal
National Post
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Coyote Ugly -- the rowdy U.S. bar chain so famous they made it into a movie and TV show -- plans to open its first Canadian location in Toronto's troubled Entertainment District.
The Coyote Ugly Saloon will move into 220 Adelaide St. W., one of two new bars opening between Simcoe and Duncan streets, according to a spokesperson from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Spokespeople for The Coyote Ugly Saloon would not comment.
The bar, known for its sexy female servers who sing, dance and serve alcohol from atop the bar, is scheduled to open early next year, as will a new club called Steam Drink & Soundbar nightclub. Coyote Ugly will have a capacity of close to 400, sprawled over two floors.
Don Rodbard, president of the King Spadina Residents Association, said he has reservations the bar may add to the already troublesome neighbourhood, which has been plagued by shootings and violence.
"Of course we have concerns, Coyote Ugly, yeah," Mr. Rodbard said. "They don't have a good image. The impression the world has is that this place is where you go to get drunk and pick up chicks if you're a guy and pick up guys if you're a chick."
Mr. Rodbard and his partner Rose Bayer, who live in the area, met last month with the bar's owners, including chain founder Liliana Lovell, where they were shown the floor plan. Although Ms. Lovell promised to keep bar patrons in check, Mr. Rodbard is concerned the bawdy reputation may cause a problem.
"My primary concern with Coyote Ugly or any decent-sized operation coming here is, what's going to happen at closing time," Mr. Rodbard said. "Living in a community where there are 73 nightclubs and 103 some bars and restaurants, you start to get a bit cynical about what you're being told."
There is room for a rooftop patio, but Mr. Rodbard said the owners have agreed to forgo the patio for now.
The local city councillor, Adam Vaughan, has no objection to the bar so long as the alcohol and gaming commission cracks down on any bar that breaks the rules.
''I've got liquor capacity in the area for more than 80,000 people. On any given weekend night I have more people drinking in the ward than living in the ward," said Mr. Vaughan. The ACGO is more interested in making excuses and slapping people on the wrist than taking step to ensure that the residents in my ward are not put at risk by their very liberal, very generous licensing policies."
AGCO spokesman Ab Campion said a number of nightclubs and bars have had licenses revoked due to shootings and the AGCO is hoping to work with the city to tighten the laws for nightclubs and bars.
''Mr. Vaughan has a habit of making off-the-cuff comments with very little to back him up," said Mr. Campion.
The New York-based bar grew notorious after former Coyote bartender Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a story about her experiences in Gentlemen's Quarterly magazine called "The Muse of the Coyote Ugly Saloon." A movie based on the bar, starring Piper Perabo and Maria Bello as the founder and owner of the Saloon, Liliana Lovell, soon followed, as did the reality show, The Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search, currently in its third season. The chain has 14 locations in the United States and is expanding internationally.
Said Mr. Vaughan: "As long as I have the assurance of the ACGO and the resources from the city to properly inspect, license and regulate and if necessary punish the bar owner, the more the merrier. I could care less if they get their jollies singing country and western songs, with shorts pants on a bar top."
