Things were looking up for a local "penis waffle" business a couple of years ago, but now the operators of a "NSFW waffle house" say they are closing their Vancouver shop.
The 7-inch Waffle House opened in August 2022 at 107-223 W Broadway, after running a successful pop-up in Richmond in the months prior, as well as having a stand at the Richmond Night Market.
The playful food biz was all about "providing delicious waffles with a naughty twist," specifically thanks to their phallic and yonic waffles with fillings and toppings (aka "drizzle") galore, served up in a bright and colourful shop.
Touting themselves as "the first and only NSFW waffle shop in Vancouver," and the only one still open in Canada. The "penis waffle" trend started in Bangkok in 2017, with Montreal and Toronto the first Canadian cities to jump on the trend in the following years. In 2022, there were a couple of genitalia-themed waffle shops in Vancouver.
The 7-inch Waffle House team shared with V.I.A. by email how much they enjoyed running their West Broadway business. "We enjoyed making our little community called Vancouver extra fun and to be recognized as a tourist spot for iconic photos with the flower wall 'every inch counts' and for the majestic Barbie pink decor for bachelorette parties and more."
Owners cite visits from local influencers and travellers from around the globe, and attention from celebs like Perez Hilton and the band Blink-182 as part of their success.
However, as much fun as "dickie" waffles are, 7-inch says the financial challenges are immense.
"Due to rising costs of operations, we have decided not to renew our lease agreement and will, instead, continue our operations at local pop-up events and festivals," operators explained.
7-inch is also hoping to sign on as a vendor for this year's Richmond Night Market.
The 2024 Richmond Night Market is scheduled to open on April 26 and run until Oct. 20.
The West Broadway 7-inch Waffle House shop will have its last day of operation on Sunday, March 31.
Owners are encouraging folks to get their final orders in during the Vancouver shop's last days.
"Our signature Dickie and Cream Pie waffles are baked fresh-to-order and will be available for order in store and in person and also UberEATS and DoorDash. Each waffle can be dipped in a variety of chocolate such as Milk, White, Dark, Matcha, and Ruby," 7-inch Waffle House described.
"As a final goodbye, we will be offering free drizzle for all orders and an unlimited amount of toppings for all customers for no extra charge on the last week."
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