Two long-standing restaurants in Kitchener and Waterloo announced over the holidays that they would be shuttered, which they say was in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an announcement on Facebook on Dec. 23, 2022, Taco Farm said it would be closing its doors permanently on New Year’s Eve after nine years of operation.
“After years of success and support in our home of Uptown Waterloo, the time has come to tell an unavoidable truth,” the note read.
“The compacted impacts of the pandemic, rising costs and ever-changing landscape have created a hole too deep, and we find ourselves forced to close the doors.”
The restaurant is owned by the Fat Sparrow Group, which owns other restaurants and shops in the area.
The post noted that the company’s chips and other products will still be produced in St Jacob’s and will be available for purchase elsewhere.
On Dec. 30, Descendants Brewery in Kitchener also announced that it was shutting down as a result of struggles brought on by the pandemic.
“Overnight, Descendants went from being a viable craft brewery and event venue to a hospitality business struggling to stay alive during the various lockdowns and restrictions,” read a note posted to Facebook by the business, which had been in operation since 2016. “Making this decision has been incredibly difficult but we can no longer continue.
“We are forced to close down — not because we didn’t work hard, smart or efficient enough and not because we took our ‘eye off the ball’ but because of COVID.”
The brewery, which is also used as event space, did not provide details on what would happen for those who had previously booked events.