News – Martin Espresso Bar

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Finch Store Update: City against corner store

June 2024

We are thrilled to announce that the city council will vote on a bylaw permitting the sale of beverages in corner stores next June. If the bylaw is rejected, a hearing will follow. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our amazing supporters who helped us gather over 3,000 signatures on our petition! Thank you for your unwavering support!

Please see below for a full description of the events.

Nearly a year ago, we received an unexpected letter from the Toronto Licensing Department regarding an anonymous complaint. It claimed Finch Store was unlawfully providing espresso-based to-go beverages, despite our valid city license. We were shocked when an officer informed us that our license had been issued by mistake due to a unique residential bylaw prohibiting the sale of to-go beverages.

Despite this, we chose to maintain our license, having invested significantly in equipment and training. Shortly after, we received a notice for a hearing with no set date or details. Facing potential closure, we sought support from our wonderful community.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of local advocates like Dan Seljak, who brought attention to our situation, we gained over 200,000 impressions overnight and drew attention from news networks such as Global News, CTV, BlogTO, and the Toronto Star. With the help of local councilor Alejandra Bravo, our hearing was deferred to June, when the bylaw will be voted on.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who advocated, signed the petition, or even just stopped by for a coffee. Your support means the world to us.

Together, we are stronger.