Lucien revamp Olde Towne gets yet another makeover

Last fall, longtime Toronto restaurateur Simon Bower transformed Lucien, once one of the city’s most elegant dining rooms, into the trendier, more casual Olde Towne Oyster Bar. Now, less than three months later, the new seafood restaurant is closed. On January 19th, Bower sold the business to Boutique Bar owners Devon and Julien Salomone, who are turning the space into a new cocktail and snack bar called East 36.

“We’re in full renovation mode right now,” says Devon, who also co-owns with two friends. When it’s finished, the space will have a whole new look. “It’s going to be like Old Hollywood glamour inside, with cocktails and small plates,” Devon explains. The Salomones have solid experience in the haute cocktail scene: Julien is a former competitive mixologist with 12 years’ experience, and the couple’s Church Street bar is regularly packed with loyal tipplers. The new bar opens March 2014.