A local pub in North Vancouver is closing after 40 years. The Pemberton Station Pub, located at Pemberton Avenue and West 1st Street, will soon shutter due to mounting financial pressures, according to a report in CTV. The bar first opened in 1986 and has been a fixture on the corner ever since.
General manager Cameron Isenor, who has run the pub for more than two decades, told CTV that rising costs and an increasingly unaffordable lease have made the business impossible to sustain over the past three-and-a-half years.
“I’ve put my whole life savings into this place, and I have nothing left,” Isenor said. “It’s definitely been crippling.”
The closure comes amid a broader wave of restaurant and pub shutdowns across Metro Vancouver. Earlier this year, the Lower Lonsdale location of comfort-food chain Burgoo permanently closed after 20 years in business, and the North Vancouver outpost of taco chain Gringo shut its doors in March as the company wound down operations across the region.
It’s a very sad situation unfortunately we don’t have many sports bar left here on the north shore especially as great as Pemberton Station pub,, i’ve been going to this pub since day one and Cameron has done a fantastic job,, I understand running my own business that you put your heart and soul into it and at the end of the day ,,,you come out with zero it’s really sad 😢
I’m so sorry to hear this. I was a server there from 1988-95. I worked for the Mckays&McAndrews and for Gery Troll. I loved to pop in over the years. I’m sorry Cameron 😔
Never found a NFL bar as good as this one, mostly due to Cam, knowing his football and always having all the games on the right TVs, and adjusting accordingly. The best atmosphere for watching sports- food and service was always great too. Can’t believe it’s closing. The north shore needs more places like this. What a bummer.
Cam, you’re the best! Sorry we couldn’t support the Pemby as much in recent years.
WHY cant there be some kind of restrictions on the rate of rents for business the same as for those in apartments? Of course we know the ONLY people who count are the developers and tearing down everything as much as possible (including trees). I sure wish we could peek into our politicians bank accounts!!!
I would like to know who will actually rent it now.
It seems like it will be a loss completely.
It is sad that North Vancouver is coming down to this.. It is a good hang out spot.. Where you can play pool and relax with good drinks and food.
I think as to do with the price increase of drinks, and the shortage of customers?
and an increase in rent lease to.
What a shame to see it close down. I and my family have been going there for years and have met a lot of great people there, especially the staff. Corporate greed rears it’s ugly head again
Was in there on opening day and many Friday nights afterwards until I quit drinking 25 years ago
I wish it had live music, that would have brought me in. It’s fairly industrial in the area, not too many neighbors to complain. Most of the good places with music are gone: the Avalon, Lynnwood, Montana’s (was Goofy’s/Holidays), the Rusty Gull…
So sorry to hear Cam, great sports bar. I worked at BC Rail and we had many birtdays and retirement parties there, Cam always accommodate all our needs, a sad day for the North Shore.
Yes,
thanks Cam for all your GREAT service from Sia guy BC Rail and Rocky
Hey last comment re Music .. we had music the last 5 years on Friday night
I am very sad to hear this because it was a friendly and very unique establishment, and North Van has lost so many of its great Bars and Restaurants in recent years. I grew up there, heavily involved in community activities, but haven’t lived in North Van since 1987. I haved worked there on Film Shoots and visit many times a year which sometimes included this welcoming Bar. The owner, Cameron is a great guy who I enjoyed talking with on occasion and who enjoyed my story about working with the Late famous George Wendt, who played “Norm” in the popular “Cheers” TV Series. In 1995 we were filming “a TV Movie of “Bye Bue Birdie” in Vancouver when George visited the bar a few times. Apparently, he did exactly what his character did in Cheers, he sat at the end of the Bar drinking Beer for hours. A local indigenous Carver who saw this made a statue of George sitting at the Bar, with his permission of course. Years later I heard the story and sat beside the statue, and I really hope someone took a photo. I was able to get word to George about this and he was thrilled.
That’s something we’re going to cherish for years to come.
I remember the Sunday night dinner Special ever! !
Delicious Primer Rib with Yorkshire puddings, to die for…
That’s something we’re going to cherish for years to come.
I remember the Sunday night dinner Special ever! !
Delicious Primer Rib with Yorkshire puddings, to die for…
We’re going to miss you Cam and all the staff.
I’ll be down there for a couple of pints 🍻 and Quesadillas CAM.
So very sad, great beer and wings nights when our group came from Park Royal. Sorry to see it go 😢
I worked there in the 90’s when I went to Cap college. We would always go there for beers after soccer. Many a brunch and Caesars. Where it had your older parents watching sports while having lunch. It was hopping in the 90’s when people liked to sit beside Norm at the side of the bar! Sad day for Cam and staff. No more pubs in the NS.
Is there any way to save it? Is it a done deal?
Really a great atmosphere and place to get a tasty steak sandwich! Always friendly staff. Sorry to see it close.
If his staff had not been, to put it kindly, rude, I would have been a regular with my group of friends for the past 6 years.
We took our business elsewhere.
Putting your life savings in a place but not your heart is what kills a business that thrives on customer loyalty. Creepy boomers who just go drink, watch the bread and circus on tv and creep at the young girls need not apply.
Will be missed. No Other North Shore Pub Covers Sports and is Accommodating to Ones Favorite Team.
Thank you to Cameron and Easily the Best Waitress Staff on the North Shore.
Sorry to hear that Cameron. As a former pub owner/manager in NV I know full well the pressures on the industry and the lack of support for places that bring people together like our places have done. It’s all for the almighty dollar now and NV has suffered for it with less local and original places. We don’t need any more franchises out there.
I have spent so much time there with my softball team after games. It was a great place to go. Sad that another greedy landlord is putting a local pub out of business.
Sad. Reading the earlier post about the pubs that have had to close in NV is upsetting. As an Aussie traveller I worked at the Queens Cross in the late 80’s and got to know most of the pubs and the Pemby was a favourite with great wings and cold beers. Sadly the closures are a world wide phenomenon these days as the price of food and drink skyrocket through no fault of the owners. Great memories.
Best of luck Cameron.
A great football (soccer) pub, we were only just getting used to going to the Pemberton for mid-week Champions League and other international games. Sad that it’s closing during the year Vancouver is hosting the World Cup.