The Real Jerk, a Caribbean institution at Broadview Ave. and Queen E., is closing at the end of the month after 28 years in business. The owners are battling to extend their stay in the building.
The Real Jerk, a Caribbean institution at Broadview Ave. and Queen E., is closing at the end of the month after 28 years in business. The owners are battling to extend their stay in the building.
Owners of The Real Jerk restaurant have launched an online campaign to buy more time for the Caribbean-food institution before it must close its doors 鈥 although the building鈥檚 new owner doesn鈥檛 seem prepared to budge.
Ed Pottinger and his wife Lily are asking for an extension of three to six months 鈥 instead of 30 days 鈥 to find a new location for the restaurant on Queen St. E. at Broadview Ave., which has existed for 28 years, all but five in the current spot.
鈥淎fter 23 years, we felt a one-month notice is not just unfair. It鈥檚 ridiculous,鈥 said Pottinger, who said he was encouraged to take action because of public outcry and support.
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The campaign, , asks supporters to sign a petition, and share stories and memories of the restaurant鈥檚 food and company. The petition will be shipped to city council, it says.
鈥淭he Real Jerk helped to revitalize this neighbourhood. Now The Real Jerk needs our help,鈥 reads the petition.
If the new owner doesn鈥檛 change his mind, the building 鈥 featuring the west side sunburst-in-shades mural 鈥 must be vacated by the end of the month.
But Bill Mandelbaum, president of Buckingham Properties which purchased the building, doesn鈥檛 appear sympathetic. In an email he said The Real Jerk鈥檚 owners did not have a lease and knew talks to sell the building were in place.
鈥淭he owners of the Jerk had the opportunity with their 鈥榣ongtime landlord鈥 to protect them with a lease,鈥 said Mandelbaum. 鈥淭hey themselves, the owners, did nothing as well.鈥
The neighbourhood鈥檚 city councillor Paula Fletcher said she intends to reach out to Mandelbaum and try to stall The Real Jerk鈥檚 move date, but admits she does not have any power to postpone what鈥檚 happening.
鈥淵ou own a building, you鈥檝e got a lot of rights,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 also the community way of doing things and there鈥檚 a certain standard for that.鈥
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