Commercial Drive institution Fets Whisky Kitchen set to close as legal fight continues

The longtime owners of Fets Whisky Bar, a literallibrary of specialty whiskieson Vancouver's Commercial Drive, will beleaving the restaurant business behind in Decemberafter a 36-year run.

Eric and Allura Fergie willbe hosting a series of whisky pairing dinners, with their first since early 2020 set forSunday, Sept. 11. The two have been working in the service industry since their teens and say the pandemichelped them realize it was time to slow down.

"My partner is also my wife, and we will both be unemployed," said Eric Fergiewith a laugh in an interview with CBC.

"We don't want to end up being that bitter old couple that still runs a restaurant."

He and Allura will still be sampling whisky and working with a few whisky organizations to promote quality spirits and teach people how to craft them.

Fergie says they're open to handing over the reinsif someone's interested in buying the business, but so far, the plan is to close the doors and saya final goodbye to theirstaff on Dec.23.

Allura Fergie says she has mixed feelings.

"[I'm] excited for what the future holds, but sad because we're not going to be on the Drive anymore," she said in an interview.

The two plan to travel North America in a newly purchased RV andspendmore quality time with their three sons,two younggrandchildren and several nieces and nephews when they're not on the road.

"I have a big family," she said. "I love kids, and I want to watch them grow and watch them go for their own dreams."

Long history

Fets Whisky Bar started in1986 as a pasta bar called Fettucine's Caf. In 1996, it moved from a cramped hole-in-the-wall-style restaurant to a larger location on the other side of the street at 1230 Commercial Drive.

"Our regulars just shortened it and called it Fets," said Eric Fergie, explaining how the name then became Fets Pasta Bar.

The new space led to a growing whisky collection and a realization that people were coming for more than just food.

In 2012 it rebranded as Fets Whisky Kitchen, boasting the largest collection in Canada.

Fergie says the people he and his wife have met along the way are what they'll cherish the most.

"We've made some incredibly life-long relationships," he said. "We have friends that we've known since the restaurant first opened many of them."

Legal battle

The couple may be leaving the restaurant behind,but they'reforgingahead in a legal battle withthe British Columbia Liquor and Cannabis RegulationBranch(LCRB). In 2018, Fets and three other B.C. bars were raided by liquor branch inspectors.

Hundreds of bottles of specialty whisky that were legally imported but purchased from privateretailers were confiscated, and the couple took the province to court after the LCRBupheld its initial decision.

"We know that we were wronged by the agency, by the inspectors. And we will fight to the end to prove that,"said Eric.

Eric says B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nathan H. Smith ruled last December that they were "denied procedural fairness" andordered the province to share all of the documents relating to the case with the couple.

Almost 300 pages of files released twoyears ago have now been unredacted, but Ericsays they mention "emails and conversations" he and his wifehaven't been able to review.

"Our lawyer feels that he has what he needs to move this forward. But Allura and I feel that we have the right to see all [of it]," he said.

Eric says the 242bottles of whisky taken from his shelveswere taxed and purchased in B.C., and hefeels they should be returned.

Ultimately, he hopesthe litigation will make life easier for other bar and restaurant owners.

"Our goal is to leave this industry in better shape than we arrived in it."

In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the Public Safety Ministry which oversees the liquor branch said it would not be commenting as the matter is still before the courts.