BURNABY, B.C. — B.C.’s The PearTree Restaurant, will close its doors after 23 years of providing award-winning cuisine and service, due to irreconcilable lease negotiations. The decision by The PearTree owners, Scott and Stephanie Jaeger, did not come lightly and lease negotiations on their Burnaby-Heights location had been ongoing well before the pandemic to find a workable agreement.
Facing a more than 40-per-cent rent increase, a landlord’s desire for a ‘demo clause’ in year one, along with a number of other unworkable clauses have left the husband-and-wife hospitality team no choice but to close their restaurant as of Aug. 15, 2020.
The PearTree Restaurant team remained committed to finding a solution and focused on safety and the well-being of each other and the guests during these unprecedented times. Stephanie Jaeger admits “the last several months have been a challenge. The dedication and commitment from the staff have been unbelievable and with amazing customers and suppliers supporting takeout and restricted dining, we brought July sales back to be on par with last year. So, to not be able to find a solution to the lease is very disappointing.”
The PearTree Restaurant has been a fixture on the B.C. restaurant scene by bringing together world-class cuisine and downtown elegance with approachability and a sense of community. After taking the helm of a pre-existing restaurant space on Christmas Eve of 1997, the Jaegers opened the doors to The PearTree Restaurant in January of 1998 following renovations. Positive feedback from diners confirmed that there was a desire for a high-quality dining experience outside of the downtown core, and in April of the following year the restaurant was awarded Best New Restaurant from both Vancouver Magazine and the B.C. Restaurant Association.
