Update Aug. 28, 2023: Zephyr has announced its last day will be Sept. 25. Billies last day at 38082 Cleveland Ave. is Aug. 28. Billies House will be reopening at 38133 Cleveland Ave. next week.
***Original story published July 4, 2023.***
The closure of Zephyr Cafe and 2Chill Gelato comes after the two sides negotiating a lease ultimately did not come to an agreement.
The owner of Zephyr Cafe and 2Chill Gelato, Adrian Blachut, and the owner of the building, Jo Delesalle of Delesalle Projects Ltd., confirmed that the businesses would be leaving the Cleveland Avenue location by the end of September.
Blachut, who has owned the businesses since 2013, told The Squamish Chief on Tuesday, July 4 that the two sides were negotiating and he missed a formal deadline to process the “terms to renewal.”
Both confirmed that the new lease amount would have been higher than the previous one.
Even after some discussion after the missed deadline, the two sides didn’t move forward with a new lease, resulting in the cafe and gelato store needing to leave the location by the end of September.
When asked if he considered relocating the cafe or gelato shop, Blachut said there were no plans to do so.
“I don’t think you can recreate Zephyr,” he said. “I don't think that it's that easy to recreate that magic.”
He did say that some of the equipment associated with the two stores would be moved to the Brackendale Art Gallery, which he recently purchased with Jessica Rigg. The art gallery is currently undergoing some renovations, but Blachut said he aims for a fall 2023 reopening.
Delesalle confirmed to The Chief on Tuesday, July 4, that there were no immediate plans for a business to move into the Cleveland Avenue locations. However, his real estate agents have had a chocolatier, sandwich shop, grocery and market store, and pet store take a look at the space.
He reiterated, however, that there is no done deal with any other business yet.
“There’s no lease signed today,” he said.
The Chief reached out to the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association (DSBIA) on Friday, June 30, but the executive director, Kerry Neil, said they would not be commenting about the impending closure. Blachut is the president of the association and Delesalle is a member.
An online petition has been circulating on social media about Zephyr Cafe in particular, but Blachut said he has no formal part in that despite it being started by a Zephyr employee.
“The Zephyr Cafe is not part of the petition, and it’s not been part of the online discussion,” he said.
There has been some confusion online about the ownership of the property.
Jo Delesalle is acting CEO and president of ICT Group. The group was founded by Delesalle and Dayhu Groups, according to the ICT Group website.
However, Delesalle stressed that ICT is not directly nor indirectly the owner of the property.
It is owned by Delesalle Projects Ltd.
Delesalle said his family has roots and business ties in Squamish and the Sea to Sky Corridor.
Billies transplanting
Billies House, the flower shop wedged between 2Chill Gelato and Zephyr Cafe, told The Chief that the store would be moving because it needs more space.
“Billies House has been in this beautiful town of Squamish for 50 years this year and have decided we need a larger space for our community. We are moving to 38133 Cleveland Ave. We will be opening our new space the first week of September,” wrote owner Janine Reynolds.
**Editor's note: this developing story has been updated since it was first posted as new information came in.
