INK Entertainment is a Toronto-based hospitality and entertainment company that manages properties; most nightclubs and restaurants, as well as country clubs, two annual music festivals, two talent agencies, and hotels under construction. Most of its properties are located in Toronto (either in the city's Entertainment District, the Fashion District or in the posh Yorkville neighborhood); with some in Montreal, Niagara Falls, the Miami area, and Las Vegas.
Founded and run by a Lebanese-born businessman, Charles Khabouth, INK currently owns and operates the Toronto Products nightclub, the Dragonfly nightclub in place of Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort, Cube nightclub and La Socià © à © tà © Å © restaurant. Furthermore, Ink, in partnership with Nicky Donato's Liberty Entertainment Group, is the parent company of rock club Tattoo Queen West and Spice Route bistro bar. Their partnership has since grown to include The Coral Gables Country Club located south of Miami, Florida. Ink also works with Lifetime Developments with the launch of Bisha Hotel & amp; Residences, the newest private label hotels and residential brands dating from Toronto since The Four Seasons in the 1960s.
Video INK Entertainment
Venues
nightclub
REBEL Nightclub (Officially known as Academy Sound)
On October 1, 2016, the Voice Academy changed its name to REBEL and reopened, completely renovated. Ink Entertainment collaborated with Studio Munge to design a 45,000 square foot nightclub, with a 65-square-foot platform. The nightclub will host several global artists such as DJ Snake, DVBBS, Tory Lanez, and Passenger (singers), among many others.
Cube
The Cube , formerly known as the Ultra Supper Club from 2003 to 2012, is a nightclub located in downtown Toronto on Queen West near Spadina that can hold up to 650 people in between indoor space and roof terrace. Catering to young, 25-plus professionals, Cube's black and gold interior was inspired by the 1960s and 1970s designs and featured nostalgic retro detail to reflect the art of cubist and time mode such as the 65-foot bar and handblown brass fence and sculpture.
Ultra Supper Club opened in December 2003 after investing more than C $ 3 million by INK Entertainment owner Charles Khabouth into years of renovations from the formerly BamBoo tropical themed nightclub (owned by Richard O'Brien and Patti Habib) from July 1983 to the closing party on October 31, 2002. Prior to BamBoo, during the 1970s, the building became a laundry and then a Wicker World store. Khabouth is reportedly cautioned that the building was hired by a real estate agent that nearly 10 years earlier helped him turn RPM and Warehouse into Guvernment and Kool Haus. From the outset Khabouth envisioned Ultra as an upscale restaurant and club that attracts Toronto-based people (real estate nobleman, Bay Street mogul, and leveraged-buyout specialist), very much like the successful Stilife club on the corner of Richmond and Duncan Street. back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In pursuit of creating exclusive venues, it saves on small expenses, including placing in the outer door of a fort like from India that cost C $ 15,000 and another C $ 15,000 to install it because the entire building should be strengthened. Walking as Khabouth's partnership with Brenda Lowes and inspired by dinner clubs in New York City and Montreal, Ultra is one of Toronto's first places to drive that concept in addition to being an early adopter of the bottle service model.
The new club became an instant hit with its busy rooftop terrace every summer. Sleeker and much more luxurious than BamBoo's boring vibe, Ultra is more emphasis on food than a regular nightclub. Instead of acting directly, the reservations were mostly focused on DJs with tables and chairs being released around 11 pm to make room for dancing. Ultra glamorous reputation has benefited more from media coverage from the fallen international celebrity stream like David Beckham in August 2007, Paris Hilton with his girlfriend Benji Madden in September 2008, Lindsay Lohan paid to appear accompanying then-boyfriend DJ Samantha Ronson in the year 2009 on their engagement day, Beyoncà © Å ©, etc.
In February 2009, the Ultra Supper Club underwent minor changes, dropping the 'Supper Club' from its name and adopting the new Asian fusion tariff and cheaper menu offer - all seen to be initiated in response to the reduced amount of corporate events in place due to the recession global.
In early 2012, despite the lucrative club/restaurant, Khabouth has decided that Ultra runs its program, investing $ 1.8 million into a spot makeover and reopening as Cube on February 28, 2012. With the restaurant aspect mostly down, Cube serves primarily as a nightclubs - to host glamorous and stylish TIFF parties and order more DJs in big rooms for shows like Dubfire, Hardwell and Victor Calderone. In August 2013, after the OVO Fest of that year the club held a party after impromptu for festival players including Drake, Lil Wayne, P. Diddy, Kanye West, Big Sean, Montana France, Mase, and TLC. Cube is also continuing with the practice of promoting parties around the presence of leading pro athletes such as Chris Weidman who organizes events on the Cube in September 2013, one day ahead of UFC 165 at the Toronto Air Canada Center.
Dragonfly Nightclub
Dragonfly Nightclub was built at Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario with a capacity of up to 800. Spread over 12,000 square feet, it features an Asian-themed décor that calls for the forbidden ancient city.
Uniun
Uniun opened on Adelaide Street West in November 2012, in the same space previously occupied by Martini's Devil nightclub, a popular destination for a single party that Khabouth purchased several months earlier in July 2012, immediately initiated the change thoroughly.
The club made headlines in late August 2013 after Justin Bieber stopped by bodyguards and got into a fight which he was dragged back by his security details to a waiting SUV.
Restaurants
Spice Route
Spice Route is an Asian-themed bistro located on King Street West, Toronto, Ontario that opened during the spring of 2008. It runs as a collaboration between Doodle Khabouth and Nick Di Donato from Liberty (owner of C Lounge and many places others), two veteran moguls from Toronto's entertainment world who after competing directly with each other for the city's top customers throughout the 2000s through their respective properties. Ultra Supper Club and C Lounge are now joining in a business also targeting excited young professionals.. Spice Route can accommodate up to 500 guests in some rooms and an outdoor terrace.
La SociÃÆ'Â © tÃÆ' Â ©
La Socià © à © tÃÆ'  © is a 1920s-inspired Parisian-style restaurant located in Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario that opened in June 2011. The restaurant includes two European-style terraces, and a terrace outside. Located in a room previously occupied by a long-running Chinese Dynasty dim sum restaurant, a C $ 4 million renovation that includes the installation of a 20 x 30 foot glass ceiling (owned by Toronto Solarium Design Group) took five months before La SociÃÆ' © tÃÆ'  © opened. It also includes laying on the floor of a mosaic tile, which in itself costs almost C $ 400,000 and requires flying in 27 workers. La Socià © à © tà © Ã… © drew inspiration from various brasseries and bistros, including Balthazar Keith McNally's restaurant in New York City's SoHo and HÃÆ'Â'tel Costes in Paris at Place VendÃÆ''me in the 1st arrondissement of the city, La Fontaine de Mars in the arrondissement 7th, and Brasserie Bofinger in the 4th arrondissement.
Due to its location, luxury and talent, La Socià © à © tÃÆ' © also uses a comparison with the famous restaurant in Toronto, Bemelmans, a glamor restaurant owned and operated by Tom Christianbrun that ran from 1977 to 1994 on the streets at 83 Bloor Street West. La Socià © à © tÃÆ'  © opening party on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 brings out Toronto's sparkling city business and media landscapes, including Moses Znaimer, founder of Roots Canada Michael Budman, architect and designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace of Taylor Hannah Architect Inc., Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong from Greta Constantine, Blake McGrath, Polly Shannon, Kevin Brauch, Jake Gold, Jian Ghomeshi, Seamus O'Regan, Melissa Grelo, and Shinan Govani gossip columnist Bernadette Morra and Suzanne Boyd. Within a few months of opening, La Socià © à © tÃÆ' © hosted various Toronto Festival international festivals, including the cover on September 17, 2011 featuring NKPR Inc. Natasha Koifman, Bill Nighy, Robert Lantos, Suzanne Rogers, Glenn Baxter, Yannick Bisson, George Stroumboulopoulos , Jian Ghomeshi, Ben Mulroney & amp; Jessica Brownstein, Colin & amp; Justin, Drew & amp; Jonathan Scott, designer Kirk Pickersgill, Suzanne Boyd, and Shinan Govani.
Weslodge Saloon
Classified as a modern American-style gastropub with a saloon twist, Weslodge opens in mid-July 2012 at King Street West in Toronto Mode District as a partnership between INK Entertainment Charles Khabouth and Icon Legacy Hospitality's Hanif Harji. During the preparation stage of Weslodge, Khabouth, who initially opened it himself, was introduced to Harji who opened Patria next door and the two restaurant owners immediately decided to go into business together in both places. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Victory Condos building at 478 King Street West completed in 2011 and jointly owned by Toronto real estate developer Lifetime Developments (run by Mel Pearl and Sam Herzog) and BLVD Developments.
Designed by Toronto's Toronto-based interior design company Munge Leung, Khabouth and Harji's plans for Weslodge drew the urban Downtown Toronto crowd that did not spend much time in their condos, but liked to go out after work. With its interiors featuring imitation-hammering trophies mounted on the wall, in accordance with the Wild West theme and hunting, restaurant bartenders and servers wearing holster pistols around their shoulders. Weslodge's kitchen is run by executive chef Stuart Cameron while his first chef's cook is Kanida Chey who joins from Claudio Aprile's Origin.
The restaurant made headlines in June 2015 because 24-year-old former chef ex-wife Kate Burnham, who had been hired at the venue from July 2012 to January 2014, accused her of being sexually abused while working at Weslodge by three former day bosses, Dan Lidbury, chefs du Kanida Chey's cook, and the evening chef, Colin Mercer. He submitted an application to the Ontario Human Rights Court, seeking C $ 225,000 in damages as well as an official apology from each of the alleged perpetrators of his alleged abuses. After first appearing on the Toronto Star on Saturday, June 13, 2015, the story gained much attention, including from an established restaurant owner at Jen Agg, owner of Black Hoof, who in addition to supporting Burnham announced a conference named 'Kitchen Whore: Smashing the Patriarchy One Plate at a Time'. All media attention pushed INK Entertainment to release an official statement, posted on the company's Facebook page. This story received more national coverage in Canada through the Radio Current â„¢ program held by Anna Maria Tremonti at CBC Radio One, which sparked a debate about the mistreatment of women in the restaurant workplace. Jen Bitches Kitchen Jen Agg Conference was subsequently held in Toronto in September 2015. Subsequently, the same month, Burnham's case against Weslodge was settled through mediation when he agreed to a secret settlement.
Also in September 2015, it was announced that the Weslodge Saloon brand would expand to Gulf countries in early 2016 as part of an agreement between Daman Investments PSC, a Dubai-based financial services company, and a consortium of partners including Harji's ICON Legacy Hospitality.
Patria
Patria is a collaboration of other King West Khabouth-Harji restaurants, this one serving Spanish food. It opened in October 2012. Initially, only Harji was behind Patria, but soon after meeting Khabouth who was preparing to open Weslodge next door, both decided to join and run both places in partnership with each other. Reportedly, they invested C $ 2.5 million to get Patria off the ground, registering a Toronto-based Home Commute design company to do restaurant interiors and get chefs Stuart Cameron and Claudia Gibson to run the kitchen.
Even before it was officially opened, the restaurant hosted a 2012 TIFF event like the Seven Psychopaths premiere party in September 2012 with Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken and Colin Farrell in hand. Just like other Khabouth restaurants in Toronto, Patria continues to attract international movie stars and Hollywood celebrities through the TIFF party every September with ensuring press coverage and publicity for the restaurant.
Buonanotte Toronto
The Toronto location of the popular Montreal restaurant Buonanotte opened in January 2013 with donations from INK Entertainment Khabouth licensing the names and recipes of the original restaurant owner Massimo "Max" Lecas who remains responsible for the management of his new place.. Opened at 19 Mercer Street, the same location where Khabouth previously runs a Japanese restaurant called Ame in partnership with Michael and Guy Rubino. The original Buonanotte restaurant in Montreal has been in operation since 1991.
Byblos
Byblos is a restaurant serving Eastern and Moroccan Mediterranean food, located on Duncan Street near King Street West within the Storys building in Toronto's Entertainment District. Opened in March 2014, this is Khabouth's third restaurant in Toronto in partnership with Hanif Harji.
Originally conceived as a fish and seafood restaurant, its opening took place during a time when Toronto experienced a slight spike in restaurants serving Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food (Middleterranean), a trend that Khabouth and Harji noticed and decided to join. Most luxurious among a series of places like Toronto that opened or expanded during the period 2013-2014 (Anthony Rose, Fat Pasha, Dr. Laffa, Me Va Me, Oven District, S. Lefkowitz, etc.), Byblos focuses on dishes from Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Lebanon and Morocco. The executive chef Byblos is Stuart Cameron who also oversees other Khabouth-Harji restaurants such as Weslodge and Patria while his chef de cuisine is Jennifer Nickle who comes from Patria where she is a sous chef.
Byblos receives universal critical acclaim, gets enthusiastic reviews and compliments for its food mix and becomes the best Khabouth restaurant ever reviewed.
When Byblos was established in the Toronto restaurant scene and following the launch of its second location in Miami Beach, it was announced in September 2015 that the Byblos brand would expand to the Gulf states in early 2016 as part of an agreement between Daman Investments PSC, a financial services company based in Dubai, and a consortium of partners including Price's ICON Legacy Hospitality.
American Restaurant
First opening its doors in early September 2014 for TIFF that year, high-end America Restaurant on the 31st floor of Trump International Hotel and Tower in Toronto was not officially launched until almost October 2014. It replaced Stock a luxury of approximately nine months since its management was taken over by Oliver & amp; Bonacini Restaurant (O & amp; B) in partnership with Khabouth. At the time of ownership change, Stock, which opened during the spring of 2012 along with the launch of Toronto Trump Tower, has been in operation for about two and a half years.
After a limited collaboration on snacks at Cabana Pool Bar, American Restaurants thereby marked a closer partnership between INK and O & B beginning in December 2013 with the announcement of two companies that took over all food operations at Trump International Hotel & Tower from Alex Shnaider's Talon International who develops the tower and then also manages two eating and drinking spots - Stock restaurant and Suits Lobby Lounge.
The new owner hired the Toronto II company by IV Design, the same company that designed the Stock, to now remodel the space. The redesign included removing black Stock furniture, which Khabouth described as "male", and replaced it with "lots of velvet, lots of velos, burgundies, blues and gold to make it a bit more feminine friendly." Hundreds of pieces of furniture were made especially in a shop in Woodbridge, just outside Toronto, for about four months. The actual renovation work took place in late August and early September 2014 for just five days because the new owners rushed to be ready in time for the Toronto International Film Festival. While the Stock's physical bar is relatively unchanged, the lounge area is completely converted with new lighting, furniture, and DJ booths.
The place was relaunched as an American Restaurant, a place that is a restaurant during the day, but on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays serves as a nightclub, turns into a nightclub with dancing and DJs past 11pm. When it comes to names, O & amp; B and INK want "something strong and unapologetic" while for Khabouth, Donald Trump himself, "the emblem of all Americans", is a source of inspiration. Bill Osborne, formerly of Bar Boulud in London and Canoe in Toronto, was hired to run an American kitchen, working under the executive chef of O & amp; B Anthony Walsh.
In September 2014, even before it was open to the general public, America hosted the Games Imitation Party attended by Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley when the film was screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.
At the end of November 2014, America became the subject of a very negative review by Chris Globe and Mail's restaurant critic Chris Nuttall-Smith, whose removal became viral, garnering a large reader reaction and attention from various other media outlets. In his zero-star judgment of America, Nutall-Smith calls it "a tacky restaurant, a new restaurant," removing the content of bouncers, wait staff, bathroom attendants, hostesses, and even customers; despite praising his food. Spicy reviews reportedly caused the entire front of the staff house to be fired.
The Americans received a four-star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide 2015, placed in the same category as Toronto's pre-set Toronto CafÃÆ' © Boulud Toronto, Canoe, One Restaurant, Scaramouche, Splendido, and TOCA.
The restaurant made headlines in late March 2015 after a Toronto resident (Darshan Dorka) claimed he turned to America with a group of friends for wearing a turban.
The Calvin Bar
At the same time as the American launch, two partner entities opened The Calvin Bar in the hotel lobby overlooking the southeast corner of Bay & Adelaide.
NAO
Standing for New and Old, NAO is an Asian steak restaurant on Avenue Road set up by Khabouth and Harji that opened in November 2014.
Byblos Miami
Once announced in January 2015, Byblos Miami , an offshoot of Byblos Toronto, opened in Miami Beach during late summer 2015. Another partnership between Khabouth and Harji, a Miami restaurant reportedly came on the heels of extensive research as the duo of Toronto restaurant owners who aim to minimize the shock and risk of launching in the Miami market they do not know well.
Figo
Opening in November 2015, Figo is the seventh Khabouth-Harji restaurant collaboration, their sixth in Toronto. Located on the southwest corner of Adelaide West & amp; John at Pinnacle recently built in Adelaide's condominium building owned by Pinnacle International, the restaurant serves Italian cuisine. The partners hired Anna Chen (formerly Lee and Scaramouche) to run the Figo kitchen as his executive chef.
More
Building stories
In October 2011 Khabouth and Harji announced their purchase of a four-storey Story building on the corner of Duncan & amp; Pearl in the heart of the Entertainment District, round the corner from the Royal Alexandra Theater and TIFF Lightbox.
Cabana Pool Bar
After the takeover of the Voice Academy in 2012, Khabouth opened the Cabana Pool Bar on June 15, 2013 on the terrace. Spent C $ 5 million, he hired interior designer from Inka, Munge Leung to recreate the outdoor space by setting up 12 white tents by the pool and several dozen tables and sofas, all in an effort to attract the "25-plus spectators who had traveled south France, visiting Miami, visiting Vegas ".
With the concept of daylight which is an extension of the bottle booth at Khabouth nightclub - the cost of renting a desk, couch, or cabana all day is from C $ 1,000 to C $ 2,500, the amount also gets three bottles of liquor to start, a plate of snacks , and the bracelet gives access to 10-20 people - Cabana Pool Bar becomes a huge success, attracting more than 4,000 people per day on summer weekends if the weather is good. Open during the summer only from early to mid-June to late September, the Cabana closes at 11 pm on weekends because residents around Toronto Island complain of noise from the terrace. This place is closed to the public during the summer days although it is available for reservations and corporate functions. Offering snacks and snacks at the venue is handled by Oliver & amp; Bonacini Restaurants, a Toronto-based hospitality company.
The presence of celebrities, nightclub staples and Khabouth restaurants, played a major role in the initial promotion of Pool Bar Cabana as well - Justin Bieber, Drake, Milos Raonic, deadmau5, Subban PK, Phil Kessel, and Nazem Kadri all in hand during the first summer of operation. Over the coming summer, Will Smith, in town makes movies Suicide Squad, Dan Bilzerian, LeBron James, etc. Make a published appearance.
Bisha Hotel & amp; Residences
Bisha Hotel & amp; Residences at 80 Blue Jays Way in the Entertainment District of Toronto is a hotel and condominium project, currently under construction, executed as a joint venture between INK Entertainment's hotel company and Lifetime Developments real estate development company. This is a new private label hotel and brand of residence named after INK founder, the epithet of Charles Khabouth's childhood, Bisha. It was designed by award-winning Wallman Architects and Munge Leung Design Associates and will stand as high as 41 floors when completed. Bisha Presentation Center has hosted numerous events including features by Sir Richard Branson and John Legend.
Maps INK Entertainment
Events
Veld Music Festival
Veld Music Festival takes place over a two-day weekend at Downsview Park in Toronto, Ontario. Organized annually by INK Entertainment.
The inaugural event takes place on 4 and 5 August 2012, featuring some of the best stars and labels in electronic dance music. Initial headliners include deadmau5 and Avicii; Festival 2013 titled by deadmau5 and Above & amp; Outside. In 2014, the main leaders are Calvin Harris, Armin van Buuren, and Iggy Azalea. Veld has performed performances by Oliver Heldens, Nero, Ingrosso, What So Not, DVBBS, Zedd, and Knife Party.
On 2nd August 2015, the 2015 Veld festival was canceled due to a severe thunderstorm warning.
Controversy
The 2014 festival has two drug-related deaths - 20-year-old Annie Le of Toronto and 22-year-old Willard Amurao from the Greater Toronto Area, both of whom died after swallowing the drugs they bought on the two-day event - as well as an additional thirteen drug-related illnesses. Questions were raised about the circumstances of Amurao's death, which prompted the investigation of the Special Unit of Investigation (Ontario's police watchdog) because he appeared to be handcuffed by a Toronto police officer before receiving medical help. Police officers reportedly approached him after seeing him being taken by two men who at the time were 22 years old were reported to be rude and needed to be handcuffed. A month later, the Special Investigation Unit closed its investigation, concluding that the Toronto police "had nothing to do" with the death of Amurao, further stated that the man was assisted to the emergency medical area where he started to twitch and hit "hard," and his Movement prevented the paramedics from treating him at which point a Toronto police officer handcuffed the man's hand onto a stretcher so that he could be treated while one hand was freed so that the drug could be given to him. The SIU report also stated that the man was later taken to the hospital and underwent a heart attack on the way in which the remaining cuffs were released and the ambulance stopped, but he could not be revived by paramedics or hospital staff.
In response to the death, Toronto city council member Giorgio Mammoliti released a statement saying the organizers of the INK Entertainment festival, and INK chief Charles Khabouth were partly responsible for the deaths, "due to their negligence and poor security measures". Mammoliti's statement also blamed fellow board members, Gord Perks and Mike Layton for the deaths. Through lawyer James Zibarras, INK Entertainment immediately demanded a full withdrawal from Mammoliti, threatening legal action if not issued within 48 hours. On Friday afternoon, August 8, 2014, almost a full day after the deadline set by INK's lawyers, Mammoliti formally revoked earlier statements that blamed Khabouth and INK; the company does not pursue legal action.
With a probe focusing on party drugs from the start, a Toronto police police investigation whose findings were announced nearly a year later in late July 2015 concluded that both drug-related deaths were unintentional. The police also announced plans to install what is called an "amnesty box" at Veld 2015 where participants can store drugs without legal consequences. The 2015 Veld edition was later canceled due to a severe thunderstorm warning.
Former asset
Stilife
Stilife is an upscale Toronto nightclub that runs from 1987 to 1995 in a six-story brick building in 1920 in the southwest corner of Richmond and Duncan Streets. Opened in October 1987 in the basement of the building with the ground floor, it was run in a very direct way by the young entrepreneur Charles Khabouth who rented a 6,000 square foot room at a very cheap price of C $ 4 per square foot. Though located in the later abandoned parts of Toronto's former Garment District, Stilife quickly succeeded in developing the image of exclusivity, becoming a favorite hangout for Toronto's sumptuous crowd. The club is populated by an attractive and rich clientele who must pass through a strict door policy designed to attract glamorous and high-earning clients.
Immediately after opening Stilife, Khabouth sold Club Z, a club area of ​​Yonge and Wellesley which was his first entrepreneurial endeavor in the hospitality industry, to fully concentrate on his ambitious new venue. Unlike Club Z which is open to anyone who wants to dance, Khabouth goes out of the way to make every aspect of Stilife exclusive. The goal is to attract urban people who are more mature, sophisticated, and free shopping than settling for the suburban youth that many downtown Toronto clubs serve at that time. Inspired by the look of the newly opened Diamond Club on Sherbourne Street whose interior is significantly different from the standard brass-and-mirrors decorations of various clubs in the city, Khabouth devotes particular attention to the interior design of its new venue. He hired Toronto-based Yabu Pushelberg design studio (made up of George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg who will continue to gain international reputation, but is largely unknown outside the city) to come up with ideas for club interiors. They travel to New York City for inspiration, ending with dark and sculpted aesthetics, industrial designs, featuring the heavy use of steel, concrete, and mosaic tiles. The wall chains made by the long chains hanging from the ceiling of the club are very interesting. In addition, Stilife's core interior elements refer to Art Deco, Salvador DalÃÆ', and Blade Runner .
In addition to attracting the wealthy Toronto, Stilife soon gained a reputation as a celebrity hangout with famous guests like Madonna (dropping by the end of May 1990 during Blond Ambition World Tour), George Michael, and Prince increasingly fueling her success and improving her status.
In terms of music played, Stilife covers a wide variety of sound and themed nights. Many Toronto DJs are working at the venue, but two leave their marks mainly - Richard Vermeulen who is a resident on Tuesday for most of the club run and JC Sunshine whose residency is Friday. Vermeulen primarily proved adept at combining genres, spinning an eclectic mix that included the range from "Stranglehold" Ted Nugent to James Brown, disco, funk, and hard rock, to Bomb the Bass' "Beat Dis", Eric B. & Rakim "Paid Full", and "Oochy Coochy" from Baby Ford. DJ Mark Oliver joined Stilife in 1990 after the closure of the Tazmanian Ballroom and became a resident on Monday popular with gay male voggers; for Oliver this marks the beginning of a long collaboration with Khabouth and Ink which will then continue at another club.
In the early 1990s many new nightclubs opened along Richmond Street West and Adelaide Street West and in adjacent streets within the area bordered by Front St., Queen Street West, Bathurst St. and Simcoe St. all of which were consequences of low rent in the area and Khabouth's success with Stilife there. Among them are: Go-Go (a three-story superclub opened by Ballinger's brother in 1990 across the street from Stilife in the northwest corner of Richmond & Duncan), 23 Hop (an all-age minimalist club opened by Wesley Thuro during the summer of 1990 in a warehouse down the street from Stilife at 318 Richmond which will soon become a catalyst for Toronto's rave scene), Venus , Club Max (the grand venue was started in 1990 by Nick DiDonato and Angelo Belluz in a heritage building on Peter St. just south of King Street West previously housed in Toronto Di DiDonato's bar and restaurant), LimeLight (in 1993 by businessman Zisi Konstantinou at 250 Adelaide Street West near the corner with Duncan Street), My Apartment (a club in an old shoe factory building at 81 Peter Street playing the top 40 music ), and Club 606 . At the same time, Khabouth for his part is trying, and largely failing, to evolve into a meal with his involvement in several restaurants - Boa Cafe, Oceans, Acrobat, and Bellair Cafe - is quickly over, either through him pulling out of business or folding. Most of the restaurants are in the upscale Yorkville neighborhood where in 1992 he also opened Skorpio club closed in 1994. By the end of 1995 after eight years of successful operation, Khabouth sold Stilife, describing the decision motivated by his desire to expand and the inability to do so at Richmond and Duncan sites due to space limitations, capacity, and ceiling height.
Soon in 1995, the Fluid nightclub opened in a location left behind by Stilife. The new club was also a success, continuing through 2009 including minor changes and re-branding in the mid-2000s as the Fluid Lounge. In February 2010 Pop Nightclub opened at the same location, but folded quickly. Over the next few decades Khabouth sometimes holds a retirement party Stilife in Toronto under the moniker 'A Return To Stilife'.
Oceans
At the end of 1989, increasingly championed by the rapid success of his Stilifenian nightclub, the twenty-seven-year-old Charles Khabouth opened the Oceans restaurant in the same building as a companion, trying to transfer some of the sexy upscale nightclub vibrations. into a meal setting. She recruited celebrity chef Greg Couillard and the restaurant even got featured on the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous TV show. However, things quickly began to unravel and in July 1990 Couillard stopped, taking most of the kitchen staff with him. His replacement is Susur Lee, another high-profile chef, but he only lasted a few weeks. The restaurant was merged into Stilife by the end of the year.
The Failure of High-Oceans makes Khabouth a bit tarnished in the entertainment world of Toronto that follows him in various forms throughout the next decade as far as his involvement with eating is concerned - allegations that food is secondary in his restaurant. Joanne Kates, The Globe and Mail of food critics at the time, claimed "Khabouth never intended food to be important in Oceans", further stating that the restaurant was exploding "once she realized she could not run it as a club and make money efficiently. " Khabouth identifies the inability of celebrity chefs to subordinate as the main reason for the failure of the Oceans: "I'm having trouble working with some of these chefs.. With celebrity chefs, it's like you work for them." Boa CafÃÆ'Â ©
Opened in Yorkville in October 1989 as a collaboration between Khabouth (at the time of Stilife's successful upper-class nightclub owner) and young Lebanese-Canadian partner Rony Hitti, Boa Cafà ©  © is a place that brings delicious cuisine and clubs culture together.
Hitti, who studied finance and politics at the University of York while DJ at various Toronto clubs during the 1980s became friends with Khabouth in Stilife. Traveling to Montreal together, the two of them went to a place called Lola's Paradise and thought Toronto could use a similar place - a late-night dining spot serving Stilife people who had little to eat after last call at 1 am. They found a spot on 25 Bellair Street that previously housed a coffee shop during the day and after a massive renovation opened Boa Cafà ©  © to much fanfare in October 1989 as a 50/50 partner. Chic and trendy, Boa serves food and drinks from noon until late at night five days a week. Although the venue received many positive notices in the local media, it faced financial problems in its first year. These problems coincided with the problem Khabouth had with Stilife because of the restaurant in Oceans that he opened as an adjoining section of the same building. The relationship between Hitti and Khabouth worsened and in 1991 both decided to separate.
Hitti takes over the place, rearranging it by making it focus on food rather than drinking. It went on with much success until 1998.
Acrobat
Despite his continued success with Stilife nightclubs in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Khabouth had difficulty expanding the aspects of the hospitality industry with his involvement in two high profile restaurants - Boa Cafà © à © and Oceans - quickly turning sour.
Almost immediately, Khabouth plunged into another high-profile project, again in Yorkville, but this time in partnership with Toronto's renowned restaurant owner, Franco Prevedello. After many delays and C $ 1.4 million under renovation, they opened Acrobat in June 1992 at 1221 Bay Street, serving upscale Yorkville customers with hybrid nightclub restaurants. However, their relationship quickly deteriorated and Khabouth left the company that same year, selling his share to Prevedello. Apparently, they do not see eye to eye because Khabouth wants to make an Acrobat dinner tonight where people eat and dance while Prevedello is only interested in the eating section. The restaurant continued under Prevedello until 1994. Bellair CafÃÆ'Â ©
The famous Bellair Cafà ©  © in Yorkville at 100 Cumberland St. has been closed for four years when Khabouth decided to revive in 1995. It first opened in 1981 under the ownership of Toronto's famous restaurant and nightclub Tom Christianbrun who is currently involved with El Mocambo music venues and upmarket Bemelmans restaurant. Like Bemelmans, Kristenbrun's Yorkville dinner menu, Bellair Cafà © is also a place to see and be seen, attract local stars such as Bryan Adams as well as visiting celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Robert Altman, especially during Festival Festival (later renamed Toronto International Film Festival). The celebrity practice started the evening with a cocktail party at Bellair Cafà ©  © before going to the opening gala of their movie and then swinging at the Copa night club to dance to be established at the festival.
In 1991, Christianbrun, which temporarily opened and established additional lucrative luxury properties such as Rhodes near Yonge & St. Clair and Bistro 990 on Bay & amp; Wellesley, got out of Bellair Cafà ©  © and the venue is closed.
In 1995, Khabouth (who had established himself as the owner of the influential Stilife nightclub and is in the process of taking over the RPM nightclub, but also has a series of unsuccessful dining attempts recently) decided to try again with a renowned person. Bellair CafÃÆ'Â © in the same place. Living with the same upscale concept, Bellair under Khabouth continues to attract celebrities as well as movers and movers of the film industry like Harvey Weinstein. It was closed less than two years later in 1997, this time for good. Soon, the new restaurant, Sassafraz, opened in place of Bellair and also later became very popular.
The Guvernment/Kool Haus complex
The Guvernment is the name of the nightclub complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1996, it was transformed from the previous RPM nightclub, which closed its doors after ten years in the same location. Kool Haus is often used as a venue for concerts and live performances. In 2008, The Guvernment was voted the world's # 8 nightclub in 100 Best DJMag Clubs. Additional concept rooms include Haven, The Gallery, Surface, Chroma, and rooftop terrace, Skybar. The complex is located directly opposite Lake Ontario, in downtown Toronto. The Guvernment/KoolHaus complex is Canada's largest and longest entertainment complex, with a capacity of over 5000. The complex hosts the TiÃÆ'Â Â «sto, Coldplay, Deadmau5, Avicii, Afrojack, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, David Guetta, General, Nerd, The Black Eyed Peas, Armin Van Buuren, and many more over the years. Popular events held in this complex include Decadence and Labor of Love .
The Guvernment and Koolhaus Entertainment Complex close its doors on January 31, 2015 and are expected to be replaced by a mixed-use project.
Ame
The Japanese restaurant Ame opened in September 2009 at 19 Mercer Street in the Entertainment District of Toronto as a collaboration between the Khabouth and Rubino brothers (Michael and Guy) in the place where Rubino previously for nearly ten years Rain owned and operated, pan-Asian restaurant that looks like a club. The rain was closed in January 2009 for a simple renovation because Rubinos plans to add sushi and sashimi bars and quickly reopen. However, in the meantime, they are doing business with Charles Khabouth from Ink who convinces them to completely change the concept. The venue is reopened with a new name (Ame), a new concept (upscale Japanese food), a completely renovated new room, and Khabouth as a new business partner.
In October 2010, Ame held a luxurious one year anniversary party. In June 2011, a re-zoning application was submitted to the City of Toronto from a real estate developer looking to build a residential condominium building in a plot currently occupied by two old buildings, especially units from 15 to 35 Mercer Street including Ame at the time.. The application was eventually denied.
Ame closed in August 2011 with Michael Rubino connecting his failure with a "difference of vision" between him and Khabouth. After renovations that lasted until the second part of 2012, Khabouth opened Buonanotte in the same location in January 2013 as a licensed branch of the famous Montreal restaurant.
Briscola Trattoria
Briscola opened in February 2011 at 501 College St. near Palmerston Boulevard in Little Italy as a collaboration between Khabouth and Syrian-born Toufik Sarwa in the same place where the short-lived Sarwaka Cinq 01 operated.
However, Briscola also turned out to have a very short lifespan, approaching 2012. In June 2012 La Carnita Mexican restaurant jointly owned by Andrew Richmond and Amin Todai opened in its place.
The Cocktail Parlor at Storys
After being introduced to each other in 2011, Charles Khabouth and Icon Legacy Hanif Harji from Inka forged a business collaboration that began with the purchase of the Storys building in October 2011 and followed by opening two restaurants in King West in 2012 - Weslodge Saloon and Patria. In the summer of 2013 they are ready to launch another joint venue - The Cocktail Parlor at Storys , a cocktail hall on the second floor of the building they had acquired almost two years earlier.
Inspired by a bar called The Aviary in Chicago, The Cocktail Parlor features a complete 60-cocktail menu along with snacks supervised by executive chef Stuart Cameron who simultaneously performs the same task at Weslodge and Patria, the other two Khabouth-Harji places that. along with decorations referring to the prohibition era as well as the 1920s and 1930s in general. With the opening of its time for the Toronto International Film Festival 2013, The Cocktail Parlor hosts many celebrity parties in its first month of operation.
With the launch of March Byblos restaurant on the ground floor of the Storys building, The Cocktail Parlor is immediately closed permanently.
Products
Products , formerly known as This London until the end of 2012, is a multilevel nightclub featuring many bars, private lounges and women's spas all with a capacity of 1,200 people. It is set in a 1936 renovated warehouse at 364 Richmond Street West near the corner of Richmond West & Peter in the Toronto Entertainment District.
The West Richmond 364 building was first converted into a nightclub in 2000. After four years of operation, the venue was acquired by INK Entertainment in 2004. After passing several names, the nightlife scene was finally known as This is London. INK's idea to offer This is London combines electronic music with Toronto's late-to-late 2000 middle-class scene. To that end, a steady stream of celebrities including Paris Hilton, Jon Jones, Michael Sorrentino, Usher, Cardinal Offishall, etc. Come through the club door. On the music side, Friday at the club, billed as Soho Friday, proved popular - featuring many home music acts like Deniz Koyu, Kaskade, Moby, DJ AM, Chus & amp; Ceballos, Morgan Page, Mark Knight, Fedde le Grand, Steve Aoki, Carl Cox, Benny Benassi, etc.
By the end of 2012, This is London which is re-branded to the Product.
From mid-2014, Barcode , a night venue with a capacity of 450 people, opens at the top of the nightclub of Products. The product closes at the end of May 2015 with the remaining party moving to the Polson Pier complex, in particular the Solarium venue for which these events are billed as Barcode by the Lake . The reason for the closure of the Product relates to the trend of residential condominiums and office buildings under construction in the area; After the West Richmond 364 building found itself beside the commercial and office space, the building owner offered to buy a nightclub from the rest of the lease.
CittÃÆ'
In December 2014, CittÃÆ' opened in the CityPlace neighborhood as a three-way partnership between INK's Khabouth, ICON's Harji, and Adam Brown, Fox & amp; Franchise pub Fiddle in Toronto. Located on the ground floor of the Concord Pacific condo tower at 92 Fort York Blvd and serving casual Italian cuisine, the owner's initial idea is to treat an 80-seat venue with a 100-person terrace as a base to grow from time to time to the franchise with the possibility of a second location in Adelaide West & amp; John is already under construction. They hired Ben Heaton who previously worked at Claudio Aprile's Colborne Lane and Mark McEwan ONE to become the first executive chef of Città ©  ©. The partners also brought David Mattachioni, a 14-year veteran of the Terroni company, to train staff and run a pizza oven CittÃÆ' â "¢ as well as head baker Carlo Lazzarino also from Terroni.
Initial reviews focused on decorating CittÃÆ' beingà ¢ â,‰ "¢ s become simpler than other" luxury, design without cost "restaurants, Khabouth-Harji restaurant and its food is not top-notch when compared to" Old World cooking around the city ". The restaurant tries to generate some buzz with hosting promotions such as pop-up September 2015 from the prominent Brooklyn hipster pizzeria Roberta; however, CittÃÆ' continues to fight for its customers compared to other TownPlace neighborhood restaurants such as Hunter's Landing. With the same trio from Khabouth, Harji, and Brown opened Figo in November 2015 at Adelaide West & John, the site that was once touted as Città kedua's second potential location, the days of CittÃÆ' â "¢ appear to be numbered. The restaurant closes at the end of December 2015 with more news about its owner hiring Guillermo Herbertson chef from Barsa Taberna to develop a new Mexican-inspired restaurant concept for April 2016 opening in the same location with a focus on snacks and cheap snacks.
Tattoo
Tattoo , formerly known as Tattoo Queen West and Tattoo Rock Parlor , is a nightclub and live venue.
Opened in December 2007 as Tattoo Rock Parlor through INK's partnership with Nick Di Donato Liberty Entertainment Group and King Street tattoo shop Black Line Studios. The joint owners Khabouth and Di Donato reportedly spent C $ 2.5 million to renovate the space before the launch. Originally advertised as a tattoo parlor and a Canadian bar, Tattoo includes a two-level event space that can accommodate over 400 people. Compared to other Queen West rock clubs like Velvet Underground and the longstanding Bovine Sex Club, Tattoo will be more suited to designers. Its location at 567 Queen Street West earlier, from 1993 to 2004, was occupied by Don Brown's night club Left Bank (with Crystal Room lounge bar in it).
Initially, Tattoo offers a food menu with items ranging from mac-and-cheese to steak.
Shifted between a live band and a DJ night, Tattoo has hosted live performances from the likes of Dragonette (performing New Year's concert 2008 on December 31, 2007), The Killers, Nickelback, Broken Social Scene (performed on September 24, 2008 as part of Verge's inauguration Music Awards), and MIA (performed on May 3, 2014 as part of Canadian Music Week). In addition, he welcomes celebrities either through after-party events or paid appearances such as Avril Lavigne, Gene Simmons (partying on September 14, 2010 during TIFF), Drew Barrymore (attending
INK sells places during spring 2016.
See also
- List of electronic music festivals
References
- Wahl, Grant (2010). The Beckham Experiment: How the Famous Athlete in the World Tries to Master America (the novel) . New York City: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0-307-40859-4.
- Wilson, Brian (2006). Fight, Flight, or Chill: Subculture, Youth, and Rave into the Twenty-First (paperback) century . Toronto: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN: 0-7735-3061-4.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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