Best "Storys" Ever Told in Toronto
If the name Charles Khabouth doesn't ring a bell, then you don't know the ins and outs of the Toronto scene. Period. This man has a pedigree unlike almost any other. In the early ‘80s, he bought his first space on St. Joseph Street, which he named Club Z. He was 22 years old. By the middle of that decade, he had opened Stilife in what's now the Entertainment District. (He's credited with transforming the area.) Almost three decades later, and Khabouth counts The Guvernment, Bisha Condos, La Societe Bistro, Briscola Trattoria, Spice Route (the list goes on) as part of his company Ink’s impressive roster.
Similarly, Hanif Harji has been a Toronto scene tastemaker for years. He was a founding partner of sexy restos like Kultura, Colborne Lane, Blowfish, and Nyood, to name a few. He opened F-Stop last year in the old Hyde space. Some would say he has the Midas Touch.
In what could very well become a Toronto business fairytale, the two have partnered, and last year bought up the four-storey building at 11 Duncan Street. They named it Storys, and patrons got their first glimpse of its magic during last year's TIFF, when the Grey Goose SOHO House parties attracted the best spread of celebs over the festival.
Storys is progressive. The top two floors are private event/party spaces, with minimal changes to the building's natural 170-year-old brick and beam foundation. On New Year's, the split level was rammed for the Bespoke NYE bash. Other events have eluded club-goers, catering to a VIP crowd.
In mid-March, the second level will open up as an old-fashioned cocktail bar; a focus on prime mixology and quality share plates will be evident. Later in the year, look for the Storys Tavern on the first level.
What Storys aims to do is create an experience that's wholly untapped in Toronto. From dinner to drinks to dancing, while you're in the same complex, a flight of stairs means a complete change of vibe. It's not quite a supper club, not quite a resto/lounge, not quite a party zone. It mixes the three and, par for the course, will likely enthral many and confound others.
Toronto's landscape is in desperate need of updating. Many a joint caters to a young crowd, the hipsters, the high-heeled ladies, but few are for the rather large niche of tasteful party-goers. Expect Storys to attract this affluent crowd. Expect Storys to 'mix it up', as it were, and help ignite a nightlife/restaurant/club revolution. It's Khabouth and Harji after all...maybe each other's yin and yang...
P.S. The dynamic duo have at least two other ventures opening up this year. How's that for exciting?
