Oliver & Bonacini acquires The Carlu

The Carlu. By Krista MacKinnon Photography.

TORONTO—Restaurant, catering and event company Oliver & Bonacini (O&B) announced on Jan. 13 the addition of The Carlu to its events portfolio. The purchase amount is not being disclosed.

The historic event space originally opened in 1930 as “Eaton’s Seventh Floor” and was designed by French architect Jacques Carlu. In 2003, the space at 444 Yonge St. in College Park was reopened as The Carlu event venue after an extensive restoration led by business partners Jeffry Roick and Mark Robert. 

“The Carlu has long been considered the gem of Toronto’s event scene, with a sterling reputation as one of Canada’s premier event destinations. With O&B’s extensive portfolio of venues, and their consistency and excellence of cuisine and service, The Carlu was a natural fit,”Roick said in a release.

“We’re very excited to be managing this magnificent venue and couldn’t be happier to be bringing our passion for food and service to The Carlu’s distinctive setting of elegance and grandeur,” O&B president Andrew Oliver said in a release. “Working with The Carlu events team, we look forward to continuing the legacy of excellence that has been upheld throughout the years.”

The official transition of The Carlu management to O&B will take place on March 2. Corporate events chef Jamie Meirele will oversee The Carlu.

“We’re leaving it as an event venue—there’s not going to be a restaurant,” Oliver told the Toronto Star. “I’ve kind of had my eye on The Carlu for the last five years.”

O&B’s recent growth in the event sector has included the Arcadian event complex at Hudson’s Bay Queen St., Toronto; Malaparte at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, Toronto; the Toronto Region Board of Trade; Windermere House, Windermere, Ont.; Westin Trillium House, Collingwood, Ont.; and Trump Toronto. O&B is also working on newly constructed event spaces in Calgary and Montreal that will be launched over the next 18 months.