Sadly, Karl Gregg, owner of the nose-to-tail Big Lou’s Butcher Shop at 269 Powell Street, shut it down for good over the weekend. If you don’t know the place, they made great sausages, cut nice steaks, and made excellent sandwiches. But it had also suffered under a dark cloud for the past two years, ever since Gregg’s ex-partner, Allan Bosomworth, was caught peeping on people using the washroom at their nearby restaurant, Two Chefs & A Table (long since closed). Though Big Lou’s was largely spared the ignominy, it must have been quite the clusterfuck for Gregg to endure by association. Anyway, here he is in his own words…

It’s with a heavy heart that Big Lou’s Butcher Shop announces that, as of May 31st, we has ceased operations at 269 Powell Street. We’re very proud of the work that we’ve done over the last 4 ½ years and want to thank everyone for their support along the way. We’ll treasure the friends we made, and we remain very proud of the awards that we won and the many kind words that were sent our way.

The legal issues around one of Big Lou’s founding partners have been well-documented over the last two-plus years. Quite simply, the financial and personal costs of dealing with those issues have made the Big Lou’s business unsustainable, and with the expiration of the lease at 269 Powell Street, it was time to close the shop.

While the shop is closed, Big Lou’s friends and fans can expect to see pop-up events in the future from the Big Lou’s team. Thanks again to everyone who supported Big Lou’s Butcher Shop.

EXPLORE THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD