One of Vancouver's beacons of the new wave of veg-focused restaurants from over a decade ago left fans stunned with an announcement on social media Jan. 12 that the end was near.
Heirloom, which has been open at 1509 W 12th Ave in South Granville since 2012, shared the news on its Instagram account.
"Unavoidably, Heirloom Vegetarian will be closing its doors for good very soon," begins the written message.
"Join us for the last few brunches while you can! Maybe just a few weekends left, we'll keep you posted!"
The restaurant's operators go on to indicate Heirloom's art and chairs will be put up for sale as well.
However, Heirloom did not specify an exact closing date or why they said the closure was "unavoidable" in the announcement.
Several weeks later, Heirloom revealed the restaurant would cease operations on April 1, closing on the Easter Monday holiday for good at 4 p.m.
"Alas the day has come [when] we at Heirloom will be closing our doors on South Granville for the last time," begins the restaurant's announcement on Instagram.
The business also hinted that they might be at work on another venture, though, unsurprisingly, owners have kept it vague: "Keep an eye out for something in the near future."
Naturally, calendar-aware skeptics are pointing out the date; Vancouverites will have to keep an eye on what happens to the Heirloom space, concept, and Instagram account after Monday to see if they were April Fooling.
Heirloom opened in 2012 as a restaurant with healthier, veggie-forward fare
Heirloom started as a restaurant concept based on the goal of offering Vancouver locals and visitors alike a healthier dining option. The restaurant wound up leaning into its vegetarian and vegan menu offerings, ultimately becoming known as "Heirloom Vegetarian" and known for its brunch dishes.
During its tenure, Heirloom branched out to add a nearby juice shop on Granville Street and a short-lived West Vancouver Heirloom location at Ambleside (now home to OEB Breakfast). Heirloom Juice Co. closed in the summer of 2023.
More recently, Heirloom ruffled many a feather by expanding its menu offerings to include meat, drawing backlash from longtime fans of the restaurant's dedication to showcasing vegetarian and plant-based fare.
Following news of its impending closure, the restaurant appeared to have dialled up the discourse on social media, volleying back at anyone raising objections or lobbing critiques at the business in the comments section of Heirloom's Instagram posts.
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