Hearts across Vancouver broke in Jan. 2022 when beloved "nerd bar" Storm Crow Alehouse announced its departure from its last remaining Vancouver address at 1619 W Broadway.
Now, well over a year later, and there's finally some action in the space, with a crew at work doing some remodelling in the vacant space to transform the former alehouse into the first Vancouver location of Prairies-based pub chain Leopold's.
Known more casually to some as "Leo's," the first Leopold’s Tavern opened in 2013 in downtown Regina. The chain operates locations in Alberta, Manitoba, and its home province of Saskatchewan. Leo's first venture into B.C. was in Victoria, where the brand took over the onetime Steamer's Pub on Yates Street. Similarly, in 2022, Leopold's took over Fernando's in Kelowna.
Now Leo's Pub is gearing up to open in Vancouver, with some jobs for the West Broadway location posted online and the renovation underway.
It's unclear how much of the Storm Crow's "nerd" aesthetic will remain behind, but Leopold's does often keep some remnants of past decor when they move into previous pub spaces.
Leo's serves hearty pub-style fare, with lots of approachable and shareable dishes like several versions of poutine, burgers, wraps, and wings. Some playful options include deep-fried cheesecake, a "bucket of bacon" with maple syrup dip, and an all-day breakfast sandwich. Speaking of breakfast, the pub offers a weekend brunch, too. And, of course, they have plenty to drink - it's a tavern, after all.
A rep for Leo's tells V.I.A. opening day is now set for Sept. 18, 2023.
With a file from Colin Dacre/Castanet
