03/29/2024
With heavy hearts, we are closing our restaurant on April 3rd, 2024, after over 25 wonderful years in business.
Due to the development plans from the City of Greater Sudbury, many iconic businesses have closed recently. As we close our own restaurant, we wanted to take a moment to share our gratitude for the countless years of support and loyalty for our founding store. We started, grew, and flourished in this town. Our restaurant was the gathering place for families, friends, coworkers, and countless teams, sponsored or not. We have sponsored teams from all over our city, from tykes to old-timers – and we have created lasting friendships with all of them.
We opened on December 26th, 1998, in the heart of Sudbury, by James Demeau and Leslie Vanden Elzen. With 25 years of hard work, our restaurant grew into the fabric of our community. Both passionate supporters of our city, James and Leslie made it their mission to give back to those who supported them. Countless fundraising events were held for the Food Bank, fundraisers to purchase a service dog, pay for medical expenses, support families, and the list goes on.
We have watched families start, grow, and change within our walls. We've been a part of the bachelor parties, baby showers, graduations, wedding receptions, and ups and downs. We are forever grateful to everyone for allowing us to be a part of all the big and small moments. Our regulars turned into family, and we cherish the memory of those we have lost along the way.
Our staff have put all their hearts into this bar. Everyone knows that tall bald guy with the red beard, even if you don't know his name. Martin has worked at The Dog House since 2001. Known for his unique brand of humour, Martin has held down the fort and kept up the Dog House we all know and love. We have so many staff that started out as customers; they kept coming back because anyone who comes into The Dog House becomes family. Your favourite drink is on the table before you even sit down, and your food order is remembered every time. This experience of feeling like part of the group keeps people coming back, feeling like family and like this is "your bar." Martin and our other staff members curated this environment and have worked tirelessly. We are thankful to our dedicated staff, both past and present.
As we tearfully close this chapter, we are looking ahead at what our next chapter has in store. It's impossible to fit more than 25 years of memories, triumphs, and heartbreak into a single letter. We are forever grateful to our community for supporting us and allowing us to be a part of your lives. Thank you to the people of Sudbury and those just passing through for making the last 25 years genuinely life-changing.
Please swing by, have a cold drink, and share a memory with us.
- James and Leslie