Victim of LRT construction, Richmond Road restaurant closes

Maggie Freitas, left, and Gillian Danby stand in front of Gillian’s former restaurant at 911 Richmond Rd. Freitas owns a flower boutique in the same mall. Photo by Staff /POSTMEDIAArticle content

When Lorenzo’s Bar & Grill opened in 2018, Friday nights were so busy that people were turned away at the door. When COVID-19 hit, customers regularly came by in groups to do curbside pickup.

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Owner Gillian Danby would have been forgiven for thinking her restaurant could survive anything. But then again, she never predicted the negative impact LRT construction would have on their business, which shuttered earlier this year.

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The downfall, Danby says, is the result of construction of the LRT extension in the west end, which turned their once-accessible Richmond Road location into a confusing maze for customers to get to, or even find, nestled in a strip mall.

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“We knew it was a good decision (to close),” Danby says as she and her husband, Sam, finished packing up the restaurant. “We were fortunate enough … that our lease came up and that was it, and we said, ‘No more of this.’”

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The construction of the LRT right outside the strip mall deterred customers, she says.

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The large divider in the middle of the street makes it hard for drivers to see around them, let alone any of the shops’ signage on the other side.

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And, if a driver goes too far, it’s a confusing detour to turn around and find the plaza again.

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If you didn’t know where you were going, it would be very easy to miss the stores at 991 Richmond Rd. (It took Citizen reporter several attempts to make it to the plaza, even with the understanding it was a confusing entrance.)

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There are ripple effects, too. Danby says she brought in a lot of business to adjoining establishments. She got her arrangements from Flowers by Maggie, located next to Lorenzo’s. Customers would go next door after meals to buy some flowers.

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Maggie Freitas, the flower shop’s owner, says she cried when she heard Lorenzo’s would be closing down. She feels like she could be next. “I don’t feel safe,” Freitas says. Being between two other businesses made her feel secure, as there was always someone around, she adds.

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“We’re like family,” Danby says of the area. “It’s not just a business.”

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Both of them are unsure of the future of the other businesses, but both say that, if the city doesn’t step up, more will be forced to close.

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Alaa Kiki only opened his store, Kiki’s Barber Shop, a few months before construction began. Both Freitas and Kiki say they were given only a few days’ notice before construction began.

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“Every day we cry, every day no one listens to us,” Kiki says of the situation.