Toronto Prudish about Pinball

[websherpa]

In the course of doing a little nostalgic searching with a fellow collector (the loafer) I happened upon this past article about the history of pinball (in light of the Pinball Cafe establishment licensing fiasco) that I thought members might be interested in reading here (if it hasn't already made the rounds):

http://torontoist.com/2012/12/prudish-about-pinball/

A commenter points out that the Toronto Star was also illustrating that pinball joints (like the Pinball Spot) were the predatory grounds of "homosexuals and criminals" ... oh my.

 

[Vengeance]

While the history lesson may be accurate, the reason the pinball cafe closed is not.

It was operating without a business license since it didn't get approval for a variance on the bylaw for how many machines they could have at a single location.

Everything was ok until the Pinball Cafe attempted to apply for a liquor license and then shit hit the fan. The application for the liquor license brought to light how they were operating all those months without a business license and so they were forced to close.

Mis-management of the business was the Pinball Cafe's ultimate demise

 

[websherpa]

I remember the Cafe story well and although this article was a bit thin in that department some commenters attempted to make that more apparent. As I remember it, it was the inability to obtain a liquor license for a year (because the area quota was on a moratorium) that sent them packing of their own choice (as opposed to being forced to close), was it not?

I believe they "were" going to apply for a business license with a variance to allow more than two pinball machines (as per the biased bylaw), but the prospects of profit without the liquor license was more probably the tipping point.

(I could easily be wrong, that was just my impression after sifting through the remains.)

Even business license violations are not always enough to close a business because normally the city WANTS a business to comply and will do as much as they can to make it happen.

Still, its hazy to me whether the aspect of the bylaw regarding distance from schools and the number of machines still exists or is enforced or not.