The Coffee Mill closing after half a century

The midtown institution began churning out sandwiches and goulash in 1963, back when Yorkville was overrun with banjo-strumming stoners and barefooted mystics. Later, it became a hangout for luminaries like Margaret Atwood, Carol Shields and Leonard Cohen. Now, the 51-year-old business (and the neighbourhood’s least pretentious patio) is closing. According to the Star, the reason for the closure is pretty much what you’d expect. “Not many people come anymore,” said Mashi Kerenyi, who’s worked at the restaurant for 18 years. “They go to Queen West, King West or the Distillery District.” The Coffee Mill will serve its final meals on September 7.