Uptown Restaurant in the Sunnybrook Plaza has closed. The location will re-open shortly under new management as a Sushi outlet. The Uptown existed for most of its life as the Sunnybrook Restaurant and must be fondly remembered by many. It underwent a Food Network makeover and name change in October 2012. That didn’t work. Business operators in the plaza say the rent increase which came due recently was pretty stiff. As to Sushi, it’s hard to imagine that the appetite for that dish hasn’t been well sated by the many such cookeries in Toronto, but presumably the marketplace will tell us. The fixed menu pan-Asian idea would seem to be less expensive structurally and the ingredients cheaper. Still, the competition must be wicked. When Tokyo Sushi first opened on South Bayview it was not uncommon to see the manager outside trying to lure customers from the next-door Fukui into his place. Elsewhere in Sunnybrook Plaza, we have late word that the UPS store has changed hands. We’ll have more on that. At the location formerly occupied by Source Electronics, the windows are papered over but there is no leasing sign posted. This suggests that the store has been taken. Photos: Uptown Restaurant, Unoccupied store formerly housing Source Electronics. Leaside dining landmark closes in Sunnybrook
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Uptown Restaurant in the Sunnybrook Plaza has closed. The location will re-open shortly under new management as a Sushi outlet. The Uptown existed for most of its life as the Sunnybrook Restaurant and must be fondly remembered by many. It underwent a Food Network makeover and name change in October 2012. That didn’t work. Business operators in the plaza say the rent increase which came due recently was pretty stiff. As to Sushi, it’s hard to imagine that the appetite for that dish hasn’t been well sated by the many such cookeries in Toronto, but presumably the marketplace will tell us. The fixed menu pan-Asian idea would seem to be less expensive structurally and the ingredients cheaper. Still, the competition must be wicked. When Tokyo Sushi first opened on South Bayview it was not uncommon to see the manager outside trying to lure customers from the next-door Fukui into his place. Elsewhere in Sunnybrook Plaza, we have late word that the UPS store has changed hands. We’ll have more on that. At the location formerly occupied by Source Electronics, the windows are papered over but there is no leasing sign posted. This suggests that the store has been taken. Photos: Uptown Restaurant, Unoccupied store formerly housing Source Electronics. 
I was a customer of the Uptown restaurant for well over a year, sometimes twice per week. The owner was always pleasant and we had many good conversations over the past year. It was sad to see a good restaurant and such a personable owner succumb to the pricey rents being charged to small businesses in Sunnybrook Plaza by the landlord. I hope that this business owner will be able to set-up a future restaurant in a more equitable landlord arrangement.