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Village Haitian restaurant Agrikol is now officially only “the Arcade Fire restaurant”, as two of its Toronto-based owners have signed the restaurant over to the prominent Montreal musicians.
Jen Agg, known both for her boisterous Twitter presence and for opening Grey Gardens and the Black Hoof in Toronto, announced the departure on social media over the weekend. Also leaving Agrikol is artist, Agg’s partner, and co-owner, Roland Jean.
Agg and Jean opened Agrikol in early 2016 as half of a four-person ownership team, alongside Arcade Fire members Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. The vibrantly-decorated Amherst Street restaurant earned warm reviews for its rummy cocktails, and hearty Haitian classics including griot and oxtail. The restaurant was eventually joined by next-door bar, ‘Ti Agrikol, under the same ownership.
There’s no bad blood here: on Twitter and Instagram, Agg called it “a legit amicable separation”, stating that she and Jean were unable to continue travelling between Toronto and Montreal to check in on Agrikol.
“I am so proud of what we made with Win and Régine — Agrikol is truly a magical place...I wish them and the staff continued success (like for real real).”
Agg’s post was accompanied by a selection of pictures of the Agrikol interior, including murals that Jean designed and painted, and the restaurant’s eclectic terrasse.
In a message to Eater, Agg says she and Jean have been “slowly extricating [themselves] since January” as part of a transition. She says to her knowledge, there are no plans to bring in any other partners. Given Butler and Chassagne’s ongoing work with Arcade Fire, the pair are unlikely to have a heavy presence at Agrikol (although as of 2016, the duo reportedly own a home close by). But the restaurant’s management team is fully sticking around, and there should be no surface-level changes at Agrikol itself.