‘Heartbreaking’ end for The Staircase as beloved space closes again, amid lockdown blues
Hamilton's much-beloved performance/community/eating space, The Staircase, has closed down, for the second time in two years, but the owners of the historic building on Dundurn North say they're hoping for a third chapter, soon.
Staicha Kidd and two partners entered a lease agreement in November 2020 to take over The Staircase operations after the building owners, Hugh MacLeod and Kathy Garneau, closed it in August 2020. Garneau and MacLeod had planned to eventually withdraw from the popular enterprise but their exit was accelerated by the shock of first phase COVID-19 lockdown measures.
Now Kidd has announced that, after a very busy and fruitful run during the summer and fall of 2021, The Staircase could no longer sustain itself through the winter under the pressures of the latest lockdown. It closed Jan. 6.
At this point we're all just reeling from what happened, we're all shaken and just taking a step back to say we're feeling miserable about it," said Kidd. It's heartbreaking enough to leave but Kathy and Hugh have been so excellent; there could be no better landlords," and moreover she and her partners had gotten their hopes up after the lockdown of late 2020 and early 2021 concluded.
We had a few fantastic months (mostly in the summer and fall of last year), with live music and shows booked every weekend and theatre coming back," said Kidd, who owns The Hearty Hooligan vegan restaurant on Ottawa Street in Hamilton.
In keeping with The Staircase's long-standing tradition of creative variety, community openness and eclectic presentations, Kidd and the new management brought in everything from hip hop and jazz to metal and punk and live theatre.
By the end, we couldn't even count on our bubble screenings (a revenue stream whereby people in the same bubble would rent the theatre to screen movies and such)," said Kidd, adding that she agrees with the lockdown. Safety first." The lockdown has, however, made it impossible for their operation to continue.
MacLeod and Garneau started The Staircase in the late 1990s as a kind of incubation centre for performance, improv comedy, theatre, community art and coffeehouse-style dining. It is housed in a historic building which began in the early 20th century as the first electrical substation in Ontario and featured the distinctive eponymous spiral staircase.
It has had its ups and downs over the years but through them all has persevered as a popular fixture with a fierce following in the local (and beyond) arts scene.
Garneau and MacLeod, who still own the building, say they will wait and see how long the lockdown lasts, but, adds Garneau, I'm optimistic that soon we can find renters and announce something new in the space."
Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jmahoney@thespec.com