# RIP, Hard Rock Cafe. Toronto



## Guest (May 23, 2017)

_The iconic Toronto landmark closed its doors on Sunday after almost 40 years of being centre stage.
The guitars and memorabilia will be sent down to Orlando, Fla. to be put in storage.
Of course, the Hard Rock Cafe shuttering is not just a restaurant closure story. 
It’s the closure of a Canadian rock ’n’ roll hall of fame_.

There were two GC meet n' greets in the past.
I was there. It was the beginning of putting faces to some of the names on this forum.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

That's so sad!

Just like the Gas Works at Yonge and Bloor. Piccadilly Tube at Queen and Yonge.

I csn remember seeing Max Webster's debut for the first time at the Gas Works!

What was the name of the bar you played at Larry?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Yup, my drummer's last shift was sunday afternoon. A few people out looking for work right now.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Does anyone know what's going in that location in its place?


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## Guest (May 23, 2017)

Lola said:


> I can remember seeing Max Webster's debut for the first time at the Gas Works!


I used to cash my paycheck there in my early twenties. lol.
A lot of great bands went through that place.



Lola said:


> What was the name of the bar you played at Larry?


We didn't play out much ('85/6).
We did Larry's Hideaway 3 times and once at Nag's Head North.



Steadfastly said:


> Does anyone know what's going in that location in its place?


The article I linked states Shoppers Drug Mart.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

laristotle said:


> The article I linked states Shoppers Drug Mart.


But a very "special " Shoppers drug mart. Wtf? 
Special?


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Won a League of Rock contest. Played the group's performance there in October 2013. Was also at a meet and greet there. A Shopper's Drug Mart (shaking my head). Made only more profound by a Rexall Drugs moving into the old Brunswick House (shaking my head again)


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Sad to hear about this (and the Bruswick/Albert's Hall a year ago that I was unaware of).
One thing I do always find funny is how a lot of people seem to think the autographed stuff is actually personal instruments rather than just some promo stuff that gets signed. I'm sure there is some legit stuff, but that signed MIM strat (made up example) was probably not 'Jeff Healey's guitar'.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

I remember taking dates there in high school...it was a pretty crappy place then, really. wasn't like the ones in the touristy places....but it felt like you were going somewhere special.

Its tough for a place like that to stay relevant.


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## bluebayou (May 25, 2015)

Hard Rock is opening here in Ottawa at the Rideau Carleton raceway which will be rebranded as the Hard Rock Casino.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Diablo said:


> Its tough for a place like that to stay relevant.


Exactly. Just like Sam the Record Man, Honest Ed's, Canadian Companies owned by Canadians...


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

I took these photos of Jimi Hendrix' SG guitar when it was on display at the Hard Rock at Yonge and Dundas a few years ago. I'll miss the place.


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## Guest (May 24, 2017)

Sweat rust. Probably enough DNA to grow a Hendrix clone.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> Exactly. Just like Sam the Record Man, Honest Ed's, Canadian Companies owned by Canadians...


well, restaurants/bars go under all the time. the decline of rock music wouldn't help a place like this.
I don't know how many young people today would be interested in going there (an uninspired place decorated with stuff that belonged to hippies).

Sams was in good company, most of their competitors are gone...HMV, Tower, etc...they just became obsolete...Like a place that sells only pagers/beepers.
Honest Eds demise is more interesting....as the category of discounters is bigger than ever ie Dollarama, WalMart etc. I think theres 3 main factors to it 1)it was run down and gross 2)the land value is huge 3)Eds son likes owning art gallerys etc, not hocking housewares to poor people- if any are still left in that area.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

bluebayou said:


> Hard Rock is opening here in Ottawa at the Rideau Carleton raceway which will be rebranded as the Hard Rock Casino.


IIRC, the one in Toronto was a franchise, not corporate owned like most of them. So it had a bit of a different feel, less "Planet Hollywood-y" but IMO wasn't maintained to the same level of standards though some might say, truer to its spirit and "character".
I worked briefly for the holding company of Hard rock (Rank Organization) after graduation.
Back in the day, supposedly a lot of the display pieces were "given" by the artists....that's something else that is unlikely to happen today IMO.


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## Guest (May 24, 2017)

_But since 1978, the Hard Rock Cafe had survived all the modernization and had become one of the busiest tourist stops in the city.
It didn’t close because of lack of business. It was doing very well, especially since a 2001 renovation. However, *rent in a booming 
city is rising* and, as has been seen all over town, a business with deeper pockets is going to take the location._


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Supply and demand. The people that supported it will go to other live music venue's. Those venue's will do better so I don't have a problem with it closing. It was a chain so that being said when Target left people still spent money at other retailers like wally mart.


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## Beach Bob (Sep 12, 2009)

Wow... not a fan of Hard Rock at all...but some of the other places mentioned.... Gas Works... damn it... hadn't thought about that place in decades...lot of crazy memories of that place from the early 80s... 

Anyone remember a club call Domino (or something like that)... was around the Eaton Centre... punk bar...crazy assed memories from that one... 

ah youth...wasted on the young...


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Distortion said:


> Supply and demand. The people that supported it will go to other live music venue's. Those venue's will do better so I don't have a problem with it closing. It was a chain so that being said when Target left people still spent money at other retailers like wally mart.


True, but one less venue to play at...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Club Domino, Iguana lounge, Big Bop, Masonic temple (on Young) used to get great bands in also. Several more names I have forgot, ya the early eightees punk scene it was fun.


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