No strangers to hosting performances in its College Street shop, Toronto's June Records is now gearing up to open a dedicated performance space within the store.
As NOW reports, the shop will open a 500-square-foot speakeasy-style venue dubbed "June Space" in a part of the store previously used for office space and merchandising. Equipped with a custom-built sound system, the space will be able to host 30 to 40 concertgoers and will also feature a beverage station that can double as a bar for licensed Special Occasion Permit events.
"It's a little stressful. We don't know if it's going to make the space feel too dense or too overwhelming," shop owner Ian Cheung told NOW. "But it's a risk we're willing to take."
Cheung cited the recent closure of punk venue and record store Faith/Void as a determining factor in opening June Space, expressing the desire to host workshops, education sessions, independent film screenings further pop-up events alongside live music performances. He hopes to host events during daytime, early evening and late-night hours, shutting down the shop when events run past business hours.
While June Space will be soft-launched with a private party this weekend, the space will officially open to the public in the month of June.
"For the morale of the city and the community, I think these things add up," Cheung said of the opening. "The more people you have doing things like this, the more distribution of wealth there is culturally."
As NOW reports, the shop will open a 500-square-foot speakeasy-style venue dubbed "June Space" in a part of the store previously used for office space and merchandising. Equipped with a custom-built sound system, the space will be able to host 30 to 40 concertgoers and will also feature a beverage station that can double as a bar for licensed Special Occasion Permit events.
"It's a little stressful. We don't know if it's going to make the space feel too dense or too overwhelming," shop owner Ian Cheung told NOW. "But it's a risk we're willing to take."
Cheung cited the recent closure of punk venue and record store Faith/Void as a determining factor in opening June Space, expressing the desire to host workshops, education sessions, independent film screenings further pop-up events alongside live music performances. He hopes to host events during daytime, early evening and late-night hours, shutting down the shop when events run past business hours.
While June Space will be soft-launched with a private party this weekend, the space will officially open to the public in the month of June.
"For the morale of the city and the community, I think these things add up," Cheung said of the opening. "The more people you have doing things like this, the more distribution of wealth there is culturally."