Toronto’s Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge starts GoFundMe campaign w/ eviction looming

Toronto’s Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge starts GoFundMe campaign w/ eviction looming

Another iconic Canadian venue is facing some possible dire consequences as a result of the Covid pandemic. Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge, which is based in the downtown area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, needs to raise a substantial amount of money in the next two days or face eviction by Christmas day. With its back up against the wall, the Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge venue owner has started a GoFundMe campaign with the goal of raising $80,000.00 Cdn.

Other venues that were forced to close their doors to the Covid pandemic include Toronto’s The Mod Club Theatre and Oshawa’s Music Hall Concert Theatre.

The GoFundMe campaign indicates:

“Hello My Cherry Cola Friends and Family,

As you all know it’s been an extremely challenging year for the bar and live music industry and 9 months since Cherry Cola’s has been able to operate due to mandatory Covid restrictions. When the pandemic hit, my landlord agreed to halt the rent while Covid had us all on lockdown and we would work out a plan to pay back the rent owing once we were allowed to resume our regular operations.

In the meantime, I’ve spent my year (with the help of a few wonderful friends) refurbishing the venue and building a lovely little outdoor area in hopes that the city would allow us to license our patio and open up per regulated covid safety measures. I so want the opportunity to share all of these improvements with all of you. With these new restrictions in place my landlord has since changed his mind and to further complicate matters he has stated that he wants the back rent owing by December 23rd or he will “Call in the Bailiff”, serve me with eviction papers and lock me out on Christmas Eve. This bar and this building have been my home for 10 years….both downstairs and up. If I lose the bar, I lose my both of my homes.

I have been racking my brain trying to come up with creative solutions to address this issue.I thought maybe we’d run a 48 hour live stream concert  from the bar, but we’re not even allowed five people in a room right now. I’m not accustomed to asking for help… especially when it comes to my business, but It has been suggested to me many times by a multitude of friends that I start this campaign. I swore I would never do this because I know how many people are suffering right now, but I’ve exhausted my resources. So here I am. Please know this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

All I know is that if I don’t try everything I possibly can that I’m not only letting myself down, but I’ll also be letting down all of you. I just won’t let it go down without a fight. I wholeheartedly believe in this little venue and all that we do here. This is not only a bar…it’s my home and a second home to so many dear friends, artists and musicians. I’m hoping if we can give the landlord even half of what is owed it will show a concerted effort on behalf of this beautiful community I’m so blessed to be a part of and prove how much this venue means to our cultural landscape. It’s the holidays and I know most everyone has been struggling, but I feel with a collective effort we can make this happen. No donation is too small and rest assured 100% will go to the venue’s rental fees. I do believe in miracles and no time like the present.

♥️Keep Live Music and Burlesque Alive♥️ With Love and Big Virtual Hugs,

Cherish Owner Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge

P.S. Anybody want to buy this building and be my lovely new landlord?”

Sleaze Roxx representatives have had the pleasure of attending many concerts at Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge over the years including shows by Reverse Grip (in February 2016) and Löve Razër (in June 2016 and December 2016). Other bands covered by Sleaze Roxx that played at Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge over the years include The Last Vegas, Rival Sons and One Bad Son while The Lazys shot their video for “Little Miss Crazy” at that venue.

The Lazys‘ “Little Miss Crazy” video: