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When you enter Unit for the first time, it may take a minute to grasp what's going on. With an interior adorned with found-object art, Unit has boldly – if not incongruously – packaged itself as a "Snackbar," in a rapidly gentrifying area.
Sandwiched between the Gladstone Hotel and The Drake, and dangerously close to the West Side Lofts project, "UNIT" has little in common with its current neighbourhood brethren. Attempting to recapture the true art ethos of Queen West, Unit features artful touches of Parkdale nostalgia, with old movie sign letters and a vintage roulette wheel where a clock might normally be. And take a close look at that bar counter. Yes, that is indeed wood from an eighty-year-old gym floor.
No other bar in town packs as much over-the-top playfulness and urban eclecticism into so narrow a space. Even with no TV screens (a standard for this area), the sensory overload approaches the dizzyingly surreal vision of its creative owner, Matt Beckerlee. Unit overflows with neon, polished surfaces, techno-noise and hyperactivity among servers and patrons alike. Late night, the room makes way for a revolving door of a crowd who keep the place going until close.
This address itself has housed myriad businesses, from a print-making shop to a 1900's railroad junction drinking spot. Even the wrought iron sign spelling out "UNIT" is reminiscent of train tracks and harkens back to simpler times. One can almost envision old-time railway workers knocking back pints in this place.
Not a slick gallery nor a big-buzz lounge-bar, the space manages to meld art and commerce in a way that seems sincere, as opposed to the nearby condo construction sites and Starbucks whose main concern is capturing the now-hot neighbourhood dollar.
Attempting to recapture the true art ethos of Queen Street West, Beckerlee reaffirms that this is your friendly neighbourhood bar and hopes to lure area dwellers and downtown hipsters alike. Indeed, walking into "Parkdale Unit Snackbar" one immediately senses warmth, sincerity and a surprising dose of camaraderie.
Beckerllee's interest in found object art will an ongoing series of displays, but we're not talking mere artwork; Unit will feature ongoing displays of people's unique personal "collections", ranging from chain saw collections to Barbie Doll collections.
With high-end real estate changing the face of what was once an art-infused community where rentals were cheap and artists congregated over beer (cheap beer), the line between art and commerce gets blurred. Sprinkled with art galleries and fancy drinkeries the face of the Queen West Strip has severely changed.
Time will tell whether Unit will lure the expertly-ripped Diesel jeans crowd from the Drake, or the unintentionally-ripped Gap jeans crowd from The Gladstone. More, than likely, though, Unit will pull in a mixed bag. Nonetheless, all are welcomed.
And that, my friends, is the beauty of West Queen West even in its current incarnation; amidst the gloriously gentrified and the painfully original, there still remains a general sense of community and an encouragement of creativity. It's still an area that fosters artistic expression, and Unit might just be one of those local places that genuinely appreciates this. F. S.
Location: 1198 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-537-6646
Area: West Queen West
Cuisine:
Cost: $$ (Affordable)
Hours: * Unit opens this Friday.
Payment Info: Master Card, Visa, American Express