Talk about marking a milestone: The West End's longtime go-to for BBQ eats, Buckstop, is ending its 10-year run definitively by closing permanently.
Buckstop shared the news on its Facebook and Instagram feeds Thursday (May 18).
The restaurant's last day - and tenth anniversary - is May 27.
"Wellllllllllllllllll. Sh*t guys what a run," begins the heartfelt closure announcement.
The restaurant goes on to emphasize the doors aren't closing "because of financial hardship, regulatory issues or ANYTHING negative."
Instead, Buckstop's owner Fiona Grieve explains: "It is truly just me getting older and the cost of living in this city," she writes. "I’ve busted my butt with sometimes two restaurants and at the end of it I want a house with a yard for my dog and a big ass garden where I can relax and in Vancouver it’s pretty unattainable no matter how hard I work."
Grieve says she has found the right house somewhere else and will be "disappearing, maybe not forever but definitely for a while."
Buckstop, at 833 Denman St, was known for its dark, cozy ambience, cocktail bar, and southern-tinged barbecue fare like pulled pork sandwiches and ribs, loaded burgers, and hush puppies. In its earlier years, Buckstop won acclaim for its fare and continued to be a favourite among regulars year after year.
In fact, Grieve shouts out Buckstop's "cult of regulars" who kept the team busy.
"Our staff is astounding and the West End has shown me 10 years of love," adds Grieve.
The farewell message does indicate that there are new owners coming in and some current staff will stay on, though it's unclear if the concept and name will remain.
"I can’t thank all of you enough. Forever and ever," says Grieve to Buckstop's decade of supporters. "I will truly deeply greatly miss you. Come and say goodbye."
