A former auto shop in The Ward neighbourhood could soon be the newest – and smallest – place to grab a drink in the city.
A liquor licence application has been filed for 60 Ontario St. to open an establishment called Standing Room Only. It is currently in the public commentary phase.
If all goes according to plan, it would potentially become the smallest bar in Canada.
So small, only 12 people will be allowed inside at one time.
"There is a bar in Quebec that's a couple of feet smaller," said Doug Todd, co-owner of the property.
"But it's attached to a nightclub, so I don't know if that even constitutes as its own individual smallest bar."
With such a small layout, Todd isn't sure if the place will be financially viable. But he and partner Mike Watt are giving it a shot.
"This is just really not costing a whole lot to put it together," Todd said. "We want to do something fun for the community. We don't want it to become a loud, crazed type thing. It's just going to be a quiet spot for people to come."
Part of the plan is to put in "the world's smallest dance floor, and just make a warm, fun, unique spot."
He reiterated a couple times Standing Room Only will not be a place for people to "come and get hammered."
"If you're looking to get hammered, go downtown," Todd said. "You want to come to our place for a quick little warm up, by all means, the door is open."
The plan is to make it a cocktail-style bar, with beer also part of the selection.
As for the look of the building, the yellow colouring will be disappearing. Todd said he knows some people like the yellow, but wants to find something neutral to make things warm and unique.
"You're going to see a massive face lift happen in the next two weeks," Todd said. "We've got some plans, changing the colour of the building, cleaning it up. Let's not make it so much of an eyesore."
So how has the reception been to the idea?
"It was actually well received," Todd said. "People thought it was a brilliant idea, they like the idea about it, and they actually kind of encouraged us to do so."
In May 2021, a committee of adjustment approved an application to convert the building into three small businesses: a coffee shop, a barber shop and a convenience store.
Lalani Jennings Contemporary Art will be opening in a separate unit of the the same building on June 25.
There were parking-related concerns presented by residents in that meeting, but committee member David Gundrum dismissed them by saying the area is "a very mature, walkable neighbourhood."
“Most of the customers … are going to be local residents who won’t be driving in,” he said last year.
The coffee shop development is still moving ahead, while the bar would take up the space initially planned for the barber shop and convenience store.
Watt doesn't anticipate any issues arising with the change in initial plans, but said he is willing to go back to the committee of adjustment, if necessary.
