It’s the end of an era on Baldwin Avenue.
Thirsty and Miserable announced on Instagram that the end of the year, which also marks the end of the bar’s 10-year lease in their building, will also see the local watering hole close for good.
The Kensington Market bar, open since 2012, offers patrons a casual space for local brews, as well as an ever-changing array of Belgian and small-batch artisanal beers. Mixed into the craft beer scene, Thirsty and Miserable serves up chips and a selection of records available for purchase.
Each evening’s selection is artfully scrawled onto a vintage-feeling chalkboard, allowing for the ever-changing beer menu to be updated as needed. The bar posts their beer menu to Instagram as it changes, highlighting the unique bottles and cans, as well as offering anecdotes, whenever and wherever possible. Local favourites that have a home at Thirsty and Miserable include Badlands Brewery, Great Lakes Brewery, and Bellwoods Brewery, among others.
The cash-only (though e-transfer is also accepted) bar gives guests quintessential dive bar vibes, perfect for the trendy, artsy Kensington Market area. It only holds sixteen people inside, adding to the intimate, friendly neighbourhood bar effect.
However, Thirsty and Miserable owner Katie announced earlier this month that, with the end of the lease, she made the decision to close shop. “This building is crumbling and Covid is still lurking so it feels like the perfect opportunity to take a little break from bar ownership,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “It’s been a total blast. I’ve met so many amazing people (and drank so many delicious beers)!”
For the time being, Katie has no plans to reopen a bar, though her hope is that she is able to stay active in the craft beer world. “I hope to stay involved in this wonderful world of craft beer. Breweries, I’ll be applying for ALL of your job openings come January! (Apologies in advance.),” she wrote.
Thirsty and Miserable will be open until the end of the month, located at their usual spot at 197 Baldwin Avenue.
Katie assures patrons that she still has a ton of beer for drinking (and taking out, as the bar doubles as a craft beer store), and the hours of operation remain as normal.
Thirsty and Miserable is closed on Mondays, and open on Tuesdays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight. On Fridays and Saturdays, it is open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., and 2 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.