On March 28, SFU students’ local haunt, the Mountain Shadow Pub, will close its heavy wooden double doors for the last time.
A frequent favourite of SFU students and the North Burnaby community since its establishment on June 23, 1984, the pub — fondly referred to as “the Shadow” — no longer fits into its neighbourhood.
Just a block away from the Hastings at Duthie bus stop, the Shadow was intended to be a part of the commercial corridor that would connect Hastings Street to SFU’s flagship campus.
According to the Shadow’s current owner, Michael Anastasi, the fact that the pub’s location ended up being a highly residential area was “the demise of the Mountain Shadow.”
Anastasi, who has owned the Shadow for over 10 years, said that this ‘demise’ has been a slow process. “The area grew residentially and the pub grew as well, but when the pub grew it caused many complaints by neighbours,” he explained.
Anastasi went on to say that the City of Burnaby, local police, and even SFU Security were involved in incidents of complaints on many occasions.
“If we would have a band [. . . or] a DJ, even though we bolted all the windows shut and pretty much made it soundproof, the neighbours would still call the police,” said Anastasi.
These complaints often resulted in the pub being fined, which lead Anastasi to conclude that the pub was no longer viable in its current location.
“We met with the City of Burnaby, all the councillors and the mayor, and tried to work out a deal,” said Anastasi. “Their only solution was moving the pub to a commercial location, meaning Hastings. Meaning somewhere else.”
Upon its closure, the pub will be demolished and the lot used to build condos. However, Anastasi will continue to hold the pub license, and predicted that the Shadow may be reincarnated at a different location in Burnaby in the next couple of years.
When asked if he would like the new pub to maintain a connection with SFU, Anastasi responded, “Of course that would be ideal. I think pretty much everywhere in North Burnaby is accessible to SFU, so that’s the priority, for sure.”
Colin Sharp, an SFU alumnus and former Residence Orientation Leader (ROL), recalls that the Shadow was an integral part of an annual residence tradition.
“As an [ROL], you are required to stay sober during the multiple days of training and multiple days of actual orientation,” recounted Sharp. “You were considered an ROL until Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Every year, by about 5:20 p.m., the Mountain Shadow was full of us.”
The closure of the pub doesn’t only mark the end of an era for SFU students, but for the wider community as well. In the ’80s, the Shadow was a favourite haunt of Canucks players. Anastasi explained, “This is where they would come every Saturday or a couple times a week to hang out after games.”
He continued, “They didn’t go downtown. They came to the Mountain Shadow.”
Anastasi said that the number of patrons and former patrons of the pub who have reached out since hearing of its imminent closure has been overwhelming.
Those patrons are also eager to get their hands on a physical piece of the pub’s history, coveting everything from the iconic stained glass windows, to the original wooden furniture, to the signed, game-worn Canucks jerseys that line the walls. The Shadow will be holding an auction from April 1–4 to allow people to bid for their favourite pieces.
“There are millions of alumni from SFU who are really sad, and they’re coming on a weekly, daily basis right now to say farewell,” said Anastasi.
“It’s going to be sorely missed.”
