A commercial property hitting the market for just under $8 million doesn't typically raise many eyebrows these days - unless the address up for sale happens to also be home to one of the city's oldest and most beloved restaurants.
Now, operators of The Naam, which has been dishing up vegetarian fare in Kitsilano since 1968, are hoping to put an end to the rumours the business is on the brink of closure.
In a social media post shared Sunday (Oct. 16), The Naam says plainly: "It should be clarified that The Naam is open for business as usual. There are no plans to close at this time," begins the statement.
"It is true the property and business are up for sale. However, this does not mean we are closing. If this changes at any point, be assured that we, The Naam, will let everyone know."
Building at 2724 W 4th Ave for sale, pitched as redevelopment
The online listing for the property at 2724 W 4th Ave begins - to some readers - ominously, in its description: "This future redevelopment property," kicks off the blurb about the building.
"The lot is 50 X 113 and the building has 1800 sqft of rentable space. The ground floor retail unit is tenanted with a high profile restaurant," continues the listing, noting that the business is included in the sale. "The building also has a two-bedroom suite on the upper level."
Though business sale listings don't always lead to closures - and oftentimes a restaurant business can sit for sale for months or more with no change to its operations - this particular one netted quite a bit of attention from some media outlets and longtime restaurant fans who fretted the Vancouver staple was on its last legs.
"We’ve been fielding a lot of questions and hope this helps clear some things up!" indicate The Naam's operators on its Instagram statement.
'We have been serving vegetarian and vegan dishes for 50 years'
For over half a century, The Naam has been a mainstay for vegetarians and the veg-curious. The restaurant's famous line of sauces and dressings is now commercially packaged and widely available.
In addition to being a place that has "been serving vegetarian and vegan dishes for 50 years," The Naam was also known for much of its tenure for being open 24 hours; the pandemic, however, put a stop to that, and staffing issues have made re-starting those hours a challenge.
"Originally, [The Naam] was created as a gathering place where people could come enjoy 'the good life'. By staying small, we remain true to that original vision, using fresh and pure ingredients while maintaining a warm, homey and welcoming, family-run atmosphere," describes the restaurant owners on The Naam's website.
