Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Downtown Vancouver restaurant announces closing: 'COVID pulled the legs out from under us'

No matter how many pandemic pivots they tried, it hasn't worked out
open-outcry-facebook-vancouver-bc
Open Outcry restaurant in the former Vancouver Stock Exchange building.

It's been a tough slog for the team at Open Outcry, a Downtown Vancouver restaurant that opened in late 2019 and now the doors are closing.

Owner Sean Heather, who is also behind the relocated Irish Heather and the to-be-relocated Salt Tasting Room, shared the news on social media Jan. 19.

"For almost two years we battled hard to keep Open Outcry operating," states Heather, describing the numerous "pandemic pivots" put into place to make things work. "Every time that we got some traction, COVID pulled the legs out from under us."

To that end, Heather says the doors are closed now, though he hasn't said it's forever. The restaurant has halted service temporarily. 

"We hope that we can re-open, but we don't honestly know if that can happen."

Located in Vancouver's historic Exchange building and named for an old stock trading term, Open Outcry was at once an ode to local history and an upscale Irish-ish restaurant and bar. At its debut, Open Outcry boasted a cocktail cart, a small and approachable menu of eats like charcuterie, pasta, small bites, and a signature corned beef sandwich.

Here's Open Outcry's closing notice in full:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Open Outcry (@openoutcry.ca)