Members of Toronto’s CityPlace community were rattled, to say the least, when the news about the neighbourhood’s beloved Fox and Fiddle location’s impending closure first broke.
A local fixture for years, the franchise was something of a neighbourhood watering hole despite its obvious position as a member of the nationwide pub chain.
Independent or not, it served as a go-to spot for after-work drinks and sports game-viewing parties for the community’s many residents and workers for years, until early 2025, when the location suddenly shut down, marking the second Fox and Fiddle location in Toronto to close within the space of a week.
It wasn’t all bad news when the closure was announced, though, as franchise owners, the Reign Company, who also own Fox on John, shared that a brand-new day-to-night social club called Charlie Social House would be taking over the space.
“We saw an exciting opportunity to create something truly transformative that aligns with our vision for the future of hospitality in Toronto,” Reign’s Chief Marketing Officer, Syed Sohail, said at the time, adding that the hospitality group’s vision was to create a “cornerstone of the CityPlace community and Toronto’s social scene.”
The original plan was for Charlie Social House to officially open its doors in April or May of 2025, which, if you’re inclined to buy into the earlier estimate, would mean Charlie’s opening is just around the corner.
According to the latest update from Reign, though, that’s simply not the case.
With renovations initially slated to wrap up this spring, the hospitality team has run into “unforeseen delays,” which seem to mainly centre around a renewed effort to source materials made and processed in Canada, have delayed the opening of Charlie Social House beyond summer 2025.
“Our commitment to supporting Canadian industry, even amidst ongoing tariffs and a strained Canada–U.S. trade climate, has caused understandable—but worthwhile—delays,” Syed tells me — but there is a silver lining to this story.
As of Wednesday, March 26, the company is re-opening Fox CityPlace in the interim so that the neighbourhood needn’t go without their go-to watering hole throughout the sunny months.
“Summer in Toronto is too special to miss out on,” says Syed. “Our guests deserve a place to gather, unwind, and enjoy the season—and we’re thrilled to welcome everyone back, even if just for a little while.”
Fox CityPlace is expected to remain open throughout the summer season before closing again to finally re-emerge as Charlie Social House.
Fox CityPlace is located at 17 Fort York Boulevard.
