Beloved Halifax waterfront pub closes its doors for good

After more than 18 years as a staple of the Halifax waterfront, Stayner’s Wharf Pub & Grill has closed its doors for the last time.

The restaurant, described by some as an “elegant dive,” shut down on Wednesday after several months of financial hardship. It was a place where there were no regulars — only “friends,” said long-time owner Todd Abbass.

“Nobody worked for me, everybody worked with me,” he told Global News as word of the closure circulated on social media. “Everybody that would frequent the restaurant, I would consider a friend and I would introduce them to another friend, as such.”

Abbass cited neighbourhood “evolution,” including nearby construction and a lack of parking spaces, as having contributed to lower turnout and mounting levels of debt. He supports those developments, however, and wishes “he could have done more” to keep the place afloat.

He made the decision to close up shop in partnership with property manager Ferry Boat Lane Limited, which posted a notice of sub-lease termination on the restaurant doors this week. While unable to comment on the specifics of the lease, Armour Group Ltd. — which owns Ferry Boat Lane Ltd. — wished Abbass “the very best” on Thursday.

“We have only good wishes for him, he’s a very gracious individual,” said Catherine Bagnell Styles, executive vice-president of marketing, in a phone interview.

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Stayner’s first opened at Chebucto Landing on the waterfront in 2001. Since then, its mission has been to build strong relationships, serve quality fare and highlight the work of local musicians.

“It was to provide a place for people to go to feel comfortable, know they’re going to get freshness and quality food, and quality entertainment,” Abbass explained.

“I don’t like to use dramatic negative words, but I am devastated, there’s no doubt about it.”

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The pub was known as a great venue for birthday parties and concerts, and a safe place for patrons to bring their dogs to the patio. Once, Abbass even hosted a celebration of life at the restaurant for a dear friend — a “glorious night” he told Global News.

Stayner’s employed about 10 people year-round and up to 50 during the summer months. Some of those team members had been there for more than 17 years. Abbass said he couldn’t ask for a more committed and gracious team, and encouraged anyone looking to pick up enthusiastic, well-trained cooks, cleaners and servers to reach out to him.

“There are so many people I’m going to miss seeing on a frequent basis and I wish I could have done more,” he said.

On Facebook, patrons and musicians lamented the closure of a “place we called home” and “fav summertime place,” among other posts.

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Abbass has access to the restaurant until next week. He said he’s not sure what he’ll do next, but is a believer in the adage “when one door closes, another opens.” He said he likes the idea of taking some of Stayner’s recipes for spices, sauces and chowder, for example, and selling them as individual products on the market.

“I’m very optimistic of the future,” he explained. “I think I have a lot to offer society and the community. We’ve been a community support for a very, very long time.”