Fable’s Kitsilano kitchen is shuttering.
Fable is not having a storybook year.
The local restaurant chain will be down to one location by the end of the month after announcing Fable Kitchen in Kitsilano would be closing before the end of September.
Fable Diner in Mount Pleasant closed just a few days ago at the end of August, with ownership citing the Broadway SkyTrain extension’s impact on customers as a reason.
The Fable Kitchen location in Kitsilano has been open since 2012 and was recognized with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand listing. But it’s no longer stable according to the business owner.
“Rising operating costs, including labour, food, rent and utilities, combined with the financial and emotional strain of the Broadway Subway construction and the expenses associated with Fable Diner, have made continuing at the current location increasingly difficult,” reads a press release about the closure from Fable.
Costs of doing business continue to rise, owner says
Owner Ron MacGillvary says it was one of the hardest decisions he’s had to make.
“We’ve put so much heart, time and energy into these restaurants, and our staff and guests have become like family,” he says in the release. “But the costs of doing business have continued to rise, and the economic conditions surrounding the current location have made it increasingly difficult to continue.”
While two of the three Fables won’t see the end of the year, one remains on Richards Street. And new ideas are being explored.
“This isn’t the end of Fable,” MacGillvary says. “We’re not walking away from the brand or the community we’ve built. We’re looking at different ways to keep Fable going, including a food truck and collaborations”
Fable Kitchen will close at 1944 W 4th Ave. on Sept. 20.