Nique sale listing appears online amid Ministry of Labour investigation

A downtown Hamilton restaurant that's made headlines for its refusal to enforce the provincial vaccine verification program is listed for sale on Realtor.ca.

It's unclear when the Nique listing was posted, but news about the sale began circulating on social media Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking to The Spectator, listing agent Christian Armando Petronio confirmed the validity of the listing and said only the business is for sale, not the building. He would not provide any further comment.

The listing's appearance comes amid a tumultuous time for the restaurant.

Last month, owner Harrison Hennick told The Spectator he would not be enforcing the province's proof-of-vaccination mandate.

As of Sept. 22, restaurants with indoor dining are required to ask patrons for proof of vaccination against COVID-19, along with a piece of identification, before allowing them to eat inside.

Just days later, the Ministry of Labour said it was investigating a complaint at the Vine Street eatery. That investigation is ongoing as of Wednesday, a spokesperson confirmed to The Spectator.

The restaurant was also temporarily closed, with Hennick citing staffing shortages and alleged death threats against his family. It appeared the restaurant had reopened on Wednesday but Hennick would not provide comment to The Spectator when reached by email Wednesday morning.

The Spectator has also reached out to Hennick for comment on the listing.

According to the post on Realtor.ca, the restaurant is listed for $288,000. It is described as being in the heart of downtown, and situated inside a new building with brand new equipment. It notes that Nique is known for delicious cuisine, excellent service, chic interior design (and a) welcoming atmosphere."

The listing also requests that interested buyers do not attempt to speak to the owner.

Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com