A big change is coming in the new year for one of Victoria’s most popular cocktail bars.
Over the past five years, Citrus & Cane has been one of Victoria’s most popular cocktail bars, and will hopefully continue to be after they move into a new space next year.
In mid-October, the bar’s management announced via social media that they will be making a big move from their current 1900 Douglas Street home.
Citrus & Cane started as a pop-up venture by co-owners Tim Siebert and Jessa Gildersleeve after the Copper Owl shut down in December 2019, their last day being New Year’s Eve.
After a handful of successful pop-ups, the duo took over the space in 2020 and made it their own.
Since then, Citrus & Cane has earned renown throughout the city and beyond, winning numerous awards and accolades for their work.
Despite their success in this location, Citrus & Cane will be moving in 2026, and will be shutting down for a short time while they settle into a new space.
Their last day of service from the current location will be for a New Year’s Eve service on December 31st.
“It’s hard to think about Victoria losing such an iconic property, but we are really excited about some of the changes to come,” wrote Citrus & Cane management in their social media announcement.
“The last five years have been unprecedented to say the least.”
They compared the last five years to being on a rollercoaster ride that they didn’t know we bought tickets for, especially after having to open a cocktail bar in the midst of a global pandemic.
“There is so much history in our current space that can never be recreated, and while it’s often hard to let go of the past, it’s important to keep evolving,” continued Citrus & Cane.
“This move brings some really exciting changes for us, but there’ll be more on that soon.”
As of this publication, Citrus & Cane have not shared where they will be moving and it is unclear what will become of the mid-century modern space they worked so hard to build and upkeep.
The property was purchased by the BC government in 2020 to provide housing for unhoused Victorians for around $14.5 million.
BC Housing has stated that the site is intended for future redevelopment, but no new updates have been shared regarding the property since 2020.
Where do you hope Citrus & Cane ends up in Victoria? Let us know in the comments!
