In a surprising twist, it looks like one of Burnaby’s most well-known premium hot pot spots is up for sale.
Earlier this week, a restaurant commercial agent shared a new listing for a “flagship hot pot restaurant” in a prime location in Burnaby.
Upon a closer look at their social media post, it turns out the listing is for none other than The Dolar Shop, the premium hot pot brand that opened in Station Square back in 2019.
This location marked the brand’s second BC outpost, following its successful Richmond launch.
Known for its more upscale take on Chinese hot pot dining, The Dolar Shop stood apart from their sister all-you-can-eat concept brand ChoCho by focusing on à la carte menus, personalized soup bases, premium seafood, and curated set meals.
But now, the 3000+ sq.ft restaurant – featuring 134 seats, a 30-seat patio, a full commercial kitchen with a 15” vent, walk-in cooler, and liquor license – is being listed as a business asset sale for $1.8 million.
But here’s the key detail from the listing that changes everything – this isn’t a franchise resale.
The listing states that this is an asset sale only, meaning the physical space, equipment, and lease are up for grabs.
There’s no brand name included, and they’re likely welcoming new restaurant concepts to take over the unit.
That means unless someone negotiates a separate franchise agreement with Dolar Shop, the Burnaby location will likely be rebranded under new ownership.
The listing also shares that the unit is ideally built for “Asian concepts such as BBQ or Hotpot” and that a landlord review of the concept will be necessary.
It’s unclear what led to this sale, but with rising operational costs and an increasingly saturated hot pot market across Metro Vancouver, many established players are being forced to rethink or restructure.
And whether this means The Dolar Shop Station Square will shut down completely or relocate remains to be seen.
For now, it’s business as usual – but it’s hard to ignore that a major player could be bowing out of Burnaby’s competitive food scene.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 6078 Silver Dr, Burnaby, BC V5H 0H5
Note: The observation of a commercial listing does not inherently imply the closure of a business. It is possible that the establishment is undergoing a change in ownership or maybe in the process of relocating. The purpose of reporting on such listings is to provide insight into the dynamic nature of the local food industry and its evolving landscape.