Gram Cafe & Pancakes, famous for its premium jiggly Japanese soufflé pancakes, has quietly shuttered three of its locations in Metro Vancouver.
The closures come as a blow to the brand, which had expanded globally from its origins in Osaka, Japan in 2014.
Who is Gram Pancakes?
Founded by Takeshi Takata, Gram has gained international recognition for its fluffy, light, and meticulously crafted pancakes.
The café saw rapid expansion with over 60 outlets in Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, and Canada, as well as its first United States location in San Francisco.
The Downfall of Canadian Outposts
Gram first ventured into the Canadian market with a location in Richmond’s Aberdeen Centre on January 25th, which garnered much excitement and media coverage.
However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed interest and slowed down business considerably.
Although several other branches were sprung up in Kingsway, Brentwood, and Kerrisdale, the brand struggled to recapture its initial allure.
The Kingsway and Brentwood locations were tagged as “temporarily closed” on Google Business.
Further investigation from Noms Magazine and community members revealed that the interiors of these branches had been slowly cleared.
The Amazing Brentwood location already has its sign taken out.
Back in June, a lease termination notice was spotted on the door of the Richmond location, which had been struggling with missed rent payments.
As of October 22nd, it’s confirmed that the Richmond outlet has permanently shut down.
Remaining Outlet and Future Prospects
The Gram location in Kerrisdale remains open, reportedly under different ownership than the closed locations.
While waning interest and the pandemic have undoubtedly impacted the business, poor service and long wait times have also been cited in customer reviews as points of dissatisfaction.
A “Leased” sign has been spotted at the empty Richmond unit, raising questions about what establishment will replace it—and perhaps the other closed Gram locations.
The closures of Gram’s Kingsway, Brentwood, and Richmond locations signify a challenging period for the brand and other well-known ones that has tried to capture the Canadian Market.
With just one remaining location in Kerrisdale, it remains to be seen if Gram Pancakes can recover its initial hype and customer interest in a post-pandemic landscape.
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