By Gore Vidal Park
Barton Village about to get a makeover | Photo Joanna St. Jacques
The venerable Crowbar restaurant, at Barton East and Elgin is in for a
name-change.
Barton Village Business Improvement Association President Jerry Canelli
is thrilled with the news. “Barton’s back, baby! When they put in the
new Beer Store, they made it a drive through because people were afraid
to leave their cars with a criminal themed restaurant on the corner.”
“It was really bringing down the property values here. You got
everything you need right here: big parking lots, a funeral home, a few
rub and tugs, the detention centre, and yet nothing was taking off
around here. Why? Because you have a restaurant that just screams
‘hug-a-thug’. That doesn’t belong on Trendy Barton Street.”
Crowbar owner Chris Bacon is non-plussed. “I don’t get what the big
fuss is. I named it Crowbar after Kelly Jay’s great Hamilton band.
For all these years, I never knew people associated it with the jail!
Once Mr. Cannoli pointed that out, I knew I had to change it right
away.“
Not everyone is pleased. Local hip-hop magnate Larry D-Money decries
the gentrification. “We used to have the whole Stainless Steel crew
shooting their straight-to-youtube vids down here on Barton, but the
street’s no longer gangster, or even ganja.” Jigz Crillz had to shoot
his last video at the City Motor Hotel. ”
That’s forty minutes of his
time on the number 2 bus, rather than in the studio.”
But Bacon has no regrets with the name change, even though the
transition has been bumpy. “At first, to be true to Crowbar, I called
it “Oh What a Feeling” and put up a big neon sign, but then I got a lot
of people confusing it with Hamilton Strip. So I’m having to change
the name again.”
When asked about what the new name will be, he hesitates. “I’ve chosen
a name that fits with Barton’s new upscale image, but I’m still going
to name it after another great Hamilton band… I’m going to reopen as
Junkhouse.”
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