By William Lin
Tony Shahrasebi stands at the entrance of the century-old Somerset House he recently purchased, and pours out his vision to help revitalize the area’s image.
“My vision is to turn Somerset Village into Yorkville,” Shahrasebi says, referring to the trendy shopping district in downtown Toronto. But his plans also mean that the Duke of Somerset and Lockmaster Tavern pubs, a family business that runs back 68 years, will never be back.
Shahrasebi bought the building, located at the corner of Bank and Somerset streets, last November, but still leased out the space to the pubs until they closed in October.
The closure – and the early sell-off – was the result of the 2001 tobacco bylaw, which caused many customers to look for alternatives, says pub owner Edgar Mitchell.
Since he bought the pub building and the office building adjacent to it, Shahrasebi says he has made strides to improve the neighborhood’s look.
Hundreds of dead trees were removed from what is now a parking lot, he says, and new bricks were recently laid on the sidewalk.
The adjacent office building, which was in “terrible shape,” is also being renovated with new glass windows and interior finishing.
“People around me say I should run for mayor,” Shahrasebi jokes.
The former pub will likely be divided into two, he says, adding that they could become a restaurant and “maybe a Tim Hortons.”
New windows will be installed, but the upper levels of the buildings will remain apartment units, he says.
Although Shahrasebi is still entertaining offers from retail businesses, he says his plans will make the neighborhood safer due to the change in business.
Shahrasebi says drunks coming out from the former bar, and drug dealers and prostitutes loitering the area are a common sight.
“If we get rid of the drug dealers, it will slowly become like Elgin Street,” Shahrasebi says.
Many businessmen at the intersection agree with him.
Elie Gharib, owner of Gabriel Pizza, located across from the former pub, says he hopes the bar’s closing will convince drunks to go elsewhere.
He says he often comes to work to see broken beer bottles littered everywhere outside. A large-framed man, Gharib says he is often intimidated when dozens of drunks loiter near his car.
With the Duke of Somerset gone, “they’ll have to go somewhere else,” Gharib says.
“It won’t attract the same company…people who want a beer.”
Steve Lerner, who owns the building across the street, says Somerset House’s change of business could “solve a lot of problems.”
Gharib, Lerner and Shahrasebi say they plan to work together with other surrounding business owners to improve the area.
Meanwhile, many patrons at the bar, say a piece of Centretown’s history will be destroyed.
Dave Owens, 47, says it’s a kind of bar where “people don’t care how you look.”
The Duke of Somerset building has been a mainstay of the area since 1896 and has been a hotel, a dry goods store and, for a brief period, a `70s jazz bar.