A new nostalgia-themed bar is expanding into Victoria from the Mainland!
After nearly two years of sitting vacant, the pub formerly known as Yates Street Taphouse, located at 759 Yates Street, will soon come to life again.
In the taphouse’s stead, a Vancouver-based bar, Glitch Bar and Games Room, is looking at expanding their concept to Victoria.
Glitch operates as a retro arcade bar, featuring a number of nostalgic arcade games, but has also been known to host DJ nights and other events.
According to Trevor Poirier, owner and operator of East Vancouver’s Glitch location, people can expect the same nostalgic retro vibe that exists on the Lower Mainland.
“We fully embrace the energy of the 90s and early 2000s,” Poirier told Victoria Buzz.
“Think neon lights, throwback tunes, retro video games, and focusing on our mission to bring the ‘fun factor’ back to the bar and nightlife scene, with a mix of arcade and midway games, boozy slushies, and cocktails that don’t hold back.”
With the expansion into Victoria, Poirier added that guests can look forward to new cocktails, fresh game additions, new theme nights and creative twists to what has become known and expected of Glitch.
Following the committee of the whole meeting held on Thursday, November 20th, Victoria’s city council approved the liquor licensing for Glitch, which leaves just one final stamp of approval to seek from the Province.
Poirier says that Glitch has been eyeing the former Yates Street Taphouse location for the past three years.
“We actually walked away a couple of times and the landlord even had an accepted offer with another interested party for a few months, but they eventually walked away and we finally worked a deal that we are both happy with,” said Poirier.
Though the space has good bones, it will definitely need a lot of work, mostly in the barroom’s aesthetic.
“While we have a vision in mind, we are always fine tuning so you will just have to come visit on open to see the final look,” he continued.
“There might just be a few surprises that people weren’t expecting.”
Now that the liquor license is approved by the City, Glitch will get its renovations underway, and are estimating the work will take about four months to complete, from full license approval.
Glitch hopes to be open by mid-spring 2026.
