On Monday, Nick Jones, founder and CEO of the London-based Soho Clubs Group, is expected to officially confirm the Toronto location is opening adjacent to the Shangri-La Hotel, now nearing completion, at University Ave. and Adelaide St.
The club will be situated in Bishop’s Block, the historic structure built in the 1930s by John Bishop as a butcher shop and most recently the home of the Pretzel Bell tavern, until it was closed and boarded up. In the 8,000-square-foot space will be a restaurant and event space for film, media and creative industries, Michael Braun, an executive with the Shangri-La developer, told the Star’s Susan Pigg earlier this month.
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The Soho House group, founded in 1995, already operates clubs for the exclusive use of carefully selected members in London, Berlin, Los Angeles and Manhattan.
But its drive for world domination was fuelled in January when high-flying U.S. billionaire Ronald Burkle’s Yucaipa Companies paid just under $400 million to acquire a controlling interest in the group. Burkle immediately became Soho’s chairman, with Nick Jones remaining as CEO.
Thanks to the new infusion of cash, Soho has hatched plans to add Toronto, Mumbai, Istanbul, Chicago and Barcelona to its chain. Along with its existing 10 private clubs — most with pools and some with cinemas — the company also owns 11 public restaurants, and hotels for “members, guests and friends.â€
