Rap superstar Drake’s restaurant has closed after less than two years.
The restaurant, christened Pick 6ix, opened its doors in Toronto in January of 2018, billing itself as a sports bar and restaurant. The closure is apparently down to the rapper, who is reportedly worth $150 million, forgetting to pay the rent. Pick 6ix was allegedly $67,000 behind on rent payments, leading to the landlord terminating the lease.
Confusingly, the restaurant’s official Instagram page claims that the closure is only temporary. A post made on Pick 6ix’s profile says that the restaurant is closed until further notice due to flooding. However, local newspaper The Toronto Star reported about the notice of lease termination before the restaurant’s Instagram post about flood damage. The restaurant’s voicemail says that it will reopen in early 2020, but it would likely need to relocate. Further adding to the confusion, is that the venue is listed as permanently closed on Google.
In a statement, Pick 6ix’s operations manager Jeff Darby said: "We have always paid rent on time and this month is no different, despite a number of issues with the building, including two floods in the past two years due to issues with the pipes. We’ve asked the building management to remove the sign [which claims the lease has been terminated] as it is not only unnecessary, but also inaccurate."
Pick 6ix was not well received by the critics, with many lambasting the restaurant for its high prices, including $40 for spaghetti Bolognese. This is not the first time Drake has tried his hand at the restaurant industry – the ‘God’s Plan’ rapper previously opened another restaurant in Toronto called Fring’s, which closed its doors last summer after two years of service.
Drake isn’t the only famous face to open a restaurant. Check out our list of celebrities you didn’t know were restaurateurs.