Bathurst Street’s Trane Studio shuts down

After nine years on Bathurst Street, The Trane Studio, the little neighbourhood jazz club that could, has decided not to renew its lease. As owner Frank Francis explained to NOW, the venue was taking too much time away from his main work as a theatre director and writer (he also has twin daughters he’d like to spend more time with). In his parting words of advice, he said that one of the things Toronto is missing is a strong connection between landlords and people who run arts venues like the Trane: “If we can pull people together who are interested in purchasing buildings, it makes it a lot easier for arts organizations to make it. Venues that do well and have a long legacy are places [where] the owners of these buildings have a commitment to the arts and are dedicated to it.” If he ever reopens the Trane in a new location, Francis said he’d like to run it with a partner who’s more “hip to hospitality.” [NOW]