This weekend brought the end of a nearly half-century run for an East Vancouver institution, as The Slocan shut its doors Nov. 14.
"What an amazing run 48 years!" remarked the beloved diner on social media.
Located at 2715 East Hastings Street in the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood, The Slocan was known for its classic American-style greasy spoon fare, but it was also what the current owner called a "secret Greek" diner.
The Slocan "has been owned by 5 Greek guys along [the] way....Peter, Peter, John, Gus and now Tasoe," describes the owner on The Slocan's Yelp page. "As the current guy, I feel The Slocan is owned by its customers and I am simply a custodian. A landmark of the neighbourhood, decades of families, longshoremen, police fire ambulance personnel, hockey stars, plumbers, politicians etc have all passed through and continue to patronize us!! All I want to do is feed you well!!"
Patrons of The Slocan appreciated the venue's hearty breakfast platters in particular, great for capping off a night out, or for refuelling the morning after.
The Slocan's tenure came to an end due to redevelopment, according to the Vancouver East Village.
Though this is it for now for The Slocan, the owner hints there could be a resurrection at some point: "Watch out for 2.0-Keep you posted!" reads the parting social media post.
