If you're a fan of Toast in Gordon Square, we have some sad news for you. The restaurant announced it will be closing next week.
As Ohio City continues to grow and change, some small businesses are struggling to keep up. We’ve been following through on multiple closures for years now, as many business owners attribute high rent costs and just not enough business to keep their brick-and-mortar storefronts open post-pandemic.
Toast wine bar on West 65th Street has been around for 11 years.
Owner Jillian Davis posted on Instagram Tuesday, saying in part, “With a heavy heart, Toast will be permanently closing as of April 3rd.”
The news saddened Cleveland Public Theater General Manager and frequent Toast-goer Denis Griesmer.
“I liked nothing more than to go over there after work around the corner and sit on the patio,” said Griesmer. “They have this enormous oak tree in the middle of all these flag stones and it’s a really great place to hang out. So, I will miss that moment of just quiet.”
Davis wasn’t available for an interview today for health reasons but emailed News 5. She said the closure is due to personal reasons, including the “changing dining scene.”
President and CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association, John Barker, said that's the harsh reality for many locally owned restaurants closing lately across the state as costs of food and labor are up over 20%.
“Restaurants, unless they can pass it all along to the consumer, it just puts tremendous pressure on their ability to make money,” said Barker.
Davis owns Toast’s building, so increasing rent wasn’t an issue like it was for her other business, Pearl Street Wine and Market Cafe, which News 5 has previously reported on, whereas Davis said her rent on Market Avenue increased by 175%.
The Executive Director of Ohio City Incorporated, Chris Schmitt, said that, unfortunately, small business closures are a side effect of a neighborhood like Ohio City continuing to gain popularity.
“The reality is when you create a place where people want to be the market is going to want to follow,” Schmitt added.
Schmitt added Ohio City is still recovering from the pandemic, however. In 2019, storefront occupancy was almost 100% filled. During the pandemic, occupancy dropped to around 70%, and now it’s back up to 75%.
“We are slowly seeing it build back up,” said Schmitt.
Schmitt remains optimistic about the direction Ohio City is headed.
“It’s our responsibility to carry that forward and create new opportunities for new business owners and while it’s certainly sad to see some people close it’s also an opportunity for somebody else to open,” said Schmitt.
Toast is one of the many restaurants that announced plans to close this year.
In February, Melt closed its Independence location.
In January, the sandwich shop announced the Avon location would be shutting its doors.
