Now & Later

Tamara Wise had been working in the food and hospitality industry for over a decade, notably with experience as an assistant brewer at Duggan's Brewery and a two-year stint as a server at Bellwoods Brewery. Over that time, she developed a palate for unique and uncommon beers and recognized a gap in the market for a bar with such offerings in her Bloordale neighbourhood. So when she was ready for a change in career, Tamara leased a former e-bike store on Bloor, just west of Dovercourt, renovated it over the course of three months and opened her very own Wise Bar in May of 2014.

The opening of Wise Bar was not without its challenges. Just a couple of weeks after launching, the City of Toronto conducted a major resurfacing project along the street and sidewalk just outside of Tamara’s bar. “You literally had to walk a plank to get into the bar,” she remembers. But with time, members of the community warmed to Tamara’s friendly demeanor and Wise Bar’s inviting atmosphere. “People were very happy that we were here – we pretty quickly had some regulars,” she says. “Most people live about a 10-minute walk away. It’s definitely a neighbourhood vibe.”