It’s been a whirlwind of a year for The Staircase Theatre, one of Hamilton’s premier independent arts venues and community spaces.
At the earlier peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the theatre’s ownership announced plans to sell the famed venue, leaving its future as a staple arts incubator frighteningly up in the air.
However, just last week it was announced that The Staircase had been saved by a mysterious trio of Hamilton small business owners, all of whom love the venue and struck a leasing deal with the building’s current owners with intent to preserve the venue and its values while also introducing exciting new features.
Local lovers of arts, culture, and community rejoiced at the news that this singular Hamilton institution would be saved and avoid a transformation into condos or, worse, a demolition. But one question hung in the air: who are the three mystery “People Under the Staircase” that now hold the keys?
All was revealed this past weekend in an announcement on social media introducing The Staircase’s new owners: Staicha Kidd of Ottawa Street vegan junk food spot The Hearty Hooligan, Marc Nascimento of Westdale video game shop 1Up Games, and Alistair Hill of plant-based foodie favourites Democracy and Rise Above Pizzeria.
As promised! Meet the new owners of The Staircase! You may know us as the owners of 1Up Games, Democracy, The Hearty Hooligan, and Rise Above! We're so grateful that we get the opportunity to preserve this beautiful community space! pic.twitter.com/VM82HaFWgU
— The Staircase (@TheStaircase) December 5, 2020
Together, these three leaders in Hamilton small business will preserve everything locals love about The Staircase as an alternative arts hub, coupled with some exciting new developments and features; including turning the venue’s fully-equipped café space into a restaurant for vegan pub fare.
Under this new ownership, The Staircase will lean hard into the food side of things until live performance is once again safe at the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, at which point the venue’s intimate black box theatre will also reopen for everything from plays to movie screenings to concerts to burlesque shows to comedy and beyond.
Learn more on The Staircase’s social media.
Lead image courtesy of @thestaircase
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