by Jacqui Birchall
(click images to enlarge)

THE BAYSIDE LOUNGE
A Requiem For A Neighbourhood Treasure

The demise of the famous, fabulous Bayside Lounge at the end of October resembled an Irish wake. Crowds of people celebrating a death with friends, raised glasses, and loud music.

**A HOSPITALITY BEACON IN THE NIGHT AT DAVIE AND DENMAN.**
*(BAYSIDE’S WEBSITE. ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY JACQUI BIRCHALL)*

Following the announcement of its too-soon closing, the Bayside Lounge was jammed nightly, loud, with endless lines and drink-laden tables; folks squished together, and a huge, larger-than-usual, efficient staff constantly on the run. The Park Pub staff came in to help out.

The regulars are devastated.

After 47 fabulous years, the Bayside Lounge announced its imminent closure. A death knell to its regulars.

An online petition to save the lounge collected 5,000 signatures.

But what is the hidden story? Why only three weeks’ notice? Why is senior management unwilling to discuss the decision? (The West End Journal has reached out, but not heard back by publication time).

Well, the owner, the landlord of both the Bayside Lounge and the Sands Hotel, is real estate mogul Kevin Sun, also known as Hongwei Sun, who holds permanent residency in Canada but not citizenship. He is the owner and founder of Sun Commercial Real Estate Group, a commercial real estate and property management firm based in Vancouver. His partner is Davidson Guo, also known as De Xue Guo, a BC resident but not a documented Canadian citizen.

Sun Commercial Real Estate Group purchased the Sands Hotel and the Bayside Lounge on May 30, 2014, for $31 million. The real estate agent for this deal, Dan Schultz, a MacDonald Commercial broker, noted that the real value in the purchase was “the long-term development potential.” Could demolition be in the future?

The company owns, among other properties, City Square Mall and the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club in Coquitlam. It used to own the Richmond Ice Centre, and tried to sell the Molson Brewery site in Chinese-language advertisements as a sea-view apartment development, even though it is zoned strictly for industrial use.

On July 24, 2026, The National Post reported that law enforcement officers interviewed by Postmedia say investigations in China concerning Kevin Sun and Sun Commercial’s CEO Davidson Guo are known to a number of agencies, including the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency, and the B.C. Securities Commission.

In a high-profile case, Sunco purchased apartment buildings at 1059 and 1075 Nelson Street in Vancouver through an investor syndicate and flipped the properties one month later for an $8 million profit.

In the summer of 2016 the Chinese government requested Kevin Sun’s extradition over a $500 million bank-loan fraud in Jilin, China. The request was unsuccessful.

Oakridge Centre realtor Denise Den She is “central to Kevin Sun’s real estate investments.” Ms. She owns many properties, including the St Pierre at 1534 Harwood Street, the leasehold building we reported on in “Our Lead Story” in the September issue. A leasehold full of unhappy residents.

Find the “Related Links” to stories regarding Sunco at the end of this column.

**we came for the drinks, and stayed for the sunsets.**

A pattern has emerged in our neighbourhood: foreign owners with too much money and no understanding of our neighbourhood culture are eradicating our favourite places by disproportionately increasing rents.

Social media has been alive with the story that the Bayside Lounge’s neighbour, Lucky Sushi, is taking over the lounge’s space. Since these rumours surfaced, the restaurant staff have received many threats and feel afraid. A Lucky Sushi manager told me the rumours are untrue, and that they had to change their telephone message in an attempt to dispel them.

With no response from senior management at the Sands Hotel, we will have to see what happens to the space occupied by the Bayside Lounge.

MEMORIES OF BETTER DAYS

I went for a cocktail on the day the closure was announced and wrote as I sat in the iconic bar.

Only five hours after the Bayside Lounge announced its closure, West End social media was on fire, and the bar was jammed. Jammed with customers in disbelief! There’s a petition to raise money to stop the closure, and negative comments about the business rumoured to be taking over.

This was my fave bar during my university years and my fave retirement spot. I bring all my friends here. The staff are wonderful, the cocktails affordable and delicious, and the menu delightful.

The clientele spans all borders, ages, cultures, and sexualities.

Recently, a friend asked to meet for drinks at 8 p.m.. He was coming in on the Skytrain, so I checked a lot of downtown bars. Cocktails $25 to $50. Nope!! The Bayside Lounge has the best prices, and don’t forget the view.

Last year’s interior upgrades were carefully planned. Even the table phones came back.

**one of those places where everyone knows your name.**

The very international staff start as bussers and end up shaking cocktails, greeting customers like old friends. The 43rd anniversary invitation-only party was epic. Classy and fun. hors-d’œuvre to die for, elegant service, wonderful atmosphere. Keegan, you were the best host. Dallas, you are a fabulous senior manager. I was never in town for those that followed, but I know they rocked.

This is not just a neighbourhood bar. It is internationally admired.

Condé Nast Traveller Magazine called it “one of Vancouver’s top cocktail bars.” “For years, the Bayside Lounge existed in a strange little bubble. Cool because it was a bit uncool and, unapologetically, dated. The space itself remains fabulous, with one of the best oceanside views in the city.”

And Scout Magazine voted the Bayside Lounge one of Vancouver’s best cocktail spots. “With wrap-around picture windows looking out over English Bay and a circular sunken bar, the vibe at The Bayside feels like the best parts of old Vegas.”

The Bayside Lounge joins a sad list of other iconic places that have had to close due to landlord greed, development, etc. The Comox Long Bar and Grill, The Dover Inn, and the nearby Morrisey, to name a few.

REGULARS SHARE THEIR MEMORIES

From Kevin and Hanna: “Really outrageous. In shock, the best place ever: great vibe, fantastic service, great food, reasonable prices, and extremely nice servers. I came to the West End as a kid and arrived at this very spot, “The Simpson Block,” Davie and Denman, in 1968; I grew up here and first went to Bay Side in 1982. Now retired, I’m having the best time of my life with my newly found girlfriend, going to Bayside regularly during the week; everyone loves us, great vibe. Now that's gone.”

Duane wrote: “We had our wedding reception in that space in 2017! Best staff and service. Thank you!”

Cher shared: “We travelled a lot for work, so lived in three different buildings but always within a couple of blocks from ‘where everybody knew our name.’ So many reunions there after companies closed down or people migrated to the 'burbs. Even some memorable wakes. SO SAD to hear that.”

Bryndis wrote: “Bayside was my first local haunt when I moved to the West End in 2015. I called it ‘my Winchester’ (Shaun of the Dead reference). During my Master’s program from 2024-2025, I rewarded myself with red wine and tots every time I handed in a paper, weekly. Then in 2026, I was suddenly hospitalized for five months. Guess where I went as soon as I got out? Bayside has been there for me for over a decade, and I can't believe it is leaving.”

And from Alex: I was supposed to be here for three months for work, but I got stuck here during COVID. Before everything got shut down, I was introduced to the West End, and more specifically, The Bayside Lounge.

“I had just turned 30, and having grown up in NYC, I longed for a more eclectic crowd. The Bayside delivered in spades. Seven years later, I have celebrated just about every birthday, New Year’s Eve, first date, last date, success and failure here. It's where my current partner first told me he had feelings for me. It's where I took my brother when he visited, and we tried absinthe for the first time. We changed our iPhone name to ‘Poop,’ AirDropped baby photos of ourselves (we were hideous babies) to random people in the bar, and watched their reactions...not something two adults would typically do, but it felt safe in the Bayside Lounge.

“This place closing feels tremendously devastating on its own. It feels even more devastating because the closure clearly signals even greater impending doom. Nelson Park is being demolished; any neighbourhood dives or friendly landing spots seem to be disappearing; AI is taking over; drugs are running rampant. Bayside felt like a place where the good ol' days were still possible. Without Bayside, where will we hang and chat with our neighbours?”

Dirkus’ regret: One time I got pretty drunk there and a local older woman was hitting on me. She was pretty spry for a lady in her late ‘60s. Embarrassed of being ridiculed by my friends, I passed on the offer. Comments like “I’d break her hip,” or “we’d be at home in bed by seven” didn’t help. Many years later, I wish I didn’t. Talk about a missed connection. Sometimes I wonder about that older woman and what delights she would have shown me. Ms. S, if you read this, just know I still dream about you.”

Elora wrote: “The Bayside Lounge is so dear and near to my heart. I’ve lived in Vancouver for five years in the West End, and it has been a constant in my life. We've had so many great nights with friends here, but the most special is that my fiancé asked me to be his girlfriend just outside Bayside over four years ago, and we have spent so many nights laughing over Peach Bellinis. The bartender, Jack, who used to work there, was such a lovely guy and always made us feel welcome. Everyone who has visited me in Vancouver has been treated to nights at Bayside.

**a nightly gathering of friends and neighbours.**

“I’m honestly devastated by the closure and, to be quite frank, feel anger at whatever business is taking it over. Though my time with Bayside was shorter than many, its impact will last forever.”

And Drina’s memory from years ago: “The Bayside was a place where neighbours and tourists could mingle. I had my birthday there with my birthday twin. In the 1970s, he used to clean the outside windows by hand, standing on the sidewalk with a long stick at 5 a.m.! He said it was great fun, and he loved seeing the local "characters" out and about at that hour.”

And from Susie: “Dear Jacqui, we are all gobsmacked about the pending closure of a beloved institution here in the West End. The view has always been perfect and ever-changing. It is casual and friendly, with great food and drinks. When it first opened, it was unique: telephones on every table with long extension cords that the staff had to navigate when the tape wore off the floor. No cell phones yet. Fun place even then. It will be sorely missed.”

Stephen Quinn of CBC’s The Early Edition talked about his many awkward dates there. Find the link at the end of this column.

We are losing an important icon of the neighbourhood. A street-side memorial should honour all the good memories. The Bayside Lounge promises a big closing night on October 30. Going out with a bang, not a whimper!

**legendary noodle, the bayside room, and the hook are just three of several recent or impending closures.**

MORE CASUALTIES ON THE HOSPITALITY SCENE

LEGENDARY NOODLE (1074 Denman) has closed. “After over 20 wonderful years since 2006, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of our Legendary Noodle [Denman] Street location,” wrote the noodle shop in a Facebook post. They are still operating at 887 West Broadway.

THE HOOK (1210 Denman) is another neighbourhood favourite that is leaving us. The rumour on the street is that a popular local pub is moving in.

IN BETTER NEWS …
West End Spots Make The Michelin Guide

The Michelin Guide just revealed its 2026 restaurant selection for Vancouver, and some new eateries have joined the list. Here are the West End - Coal Harbour restaurants that made the cut:

2026 Michelin-starred restaurants

One Michelin Star: Sushi Hyun (795 Jervis St., Vancouver)
One Michelin Star: Sushi Masuda (1066 W. Hastings St., Vancouver)

Vancouver’s 2026 Recommended Restaurants

Botanist (Fairmont Pacific Rim, 1038 Canada Pl., Vancouver)
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar (Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard St., Vancouver)
Carlino (Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni, 1115 Alberni St., Vancouver)
Tetsu Sushi Bar (Times Square Suites Hotel, 775 Denman St., Vancouver)

Congratulations everyone!