- A Crafty intermission -

 

JULY 2, 2023

 

It is with the deepest sadness that we announce today that The Makerie, as you know it today, is closing.
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We cannot express how much gratitude we have for the community that has built around us and this little craft studio and coffee bar during the most extreme business circumstances imaginable.
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As many of you know, we signed our lease agreement the day the world was sent into isolation. Believe me, we looked back and analyzed the situation thoroughly could in no way have predicted what was to follow.
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😑 A global pandemic and being subject to alllll the restrictions and closures.
😑 Ineligibility for any business supports through those closures simply because we were a new business. No rent relief. No wage subsidy. No CERB.
😑 A bank that decided to demand a $50,000 loan repayment with two days notice in our first week of operation as a result of their own error.
😑 A 90% increase in our triple net portion of our rent over the last three years.
😑 Architects and inspectors who decided that the space actually didn’t meet code after being given a conditional occupancy and threatening us with $10,000/day fines for operating without meeting code even though it was their error.
😑 Our puppo almost passed away.
😑 A brain tumour in our immediate family (all is good now with treatment).
😑 An accountant whose mismanagement of our books has resulted in completely preventable debts and lack of information for business planning.
😑 Remember the milk shortage? When we had to go to like 12 different stores to get enough milk to operate the coffee bar?
😑 A broken furnace during a -40 cold spell and subsequent burst water main.
😑 A broken air conditioner during a heat wave.
😑 TWO literal dumpster fires.
😑 A table thrown at me.
😑 A frivolous lawsuit.
😑 The naked lady in the bathroom.
😑 The guy who stole the cookies.
😑 The $3,000 ice machine that doesn’t produce ice in the summer.
😑 The time 12 bottles of syrup fell out of the fridge door and smashed all over the back room floor.
😑 The wall. Don’t even get me started on the wall.
😑 So many tents and umbrellas. So many.

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And there’s been so much more.

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We are definitely feeling the impacts of the post-pandemic recession and ultimately can’t foresee what’s to come. If there was just a year of tough times, I could maybe weather that. But if the next three years are going to be as challenging as the last three years, I just don’t have the emotional, mental, financial and other capacity to do it.
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The armchair critics will, I’m sure, have their opinions on what did or did not lead to this, but I don’t care to hear their thoughts. This has been the most difficult three years and even more difficult decision to close our doors and pivot yet again. We wish to get through the next while with nothing but positive energy.
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We have been trying to negotiate a solution with our landlord to keep our staff through to the end of summer, but that didn't go well and our last day of operation was July 22, 2023. 
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The Makerie is not done. It is a beautiful business doing amazing things through creativity for our community. We believe in it and its purpose. We just need to find another path forward. We hope you’ll follow along as we adjust and see what that will look like. We have some ideas and just need time to grieve what it is today and space to conceptualize what it can be in the future. Please follow us along that journey on Facebook or Instagram as we explore what that looks like.
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So, for today, we give out the bad news. But we are thankful for SO. MUCH. The community that has made The Makerie what it is, and will be, is incredible. Thank you.
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#staycrafty

With all our gratitude and love. See you soon!

Kim, Bruce & Courtney

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info@themakerie.ca