A renowned Toronto bakery known for its delectable artisan pastries and ice cream sandwiches that inspired a booming sister location is among a group of businesses that are abruptly shutting down this month due to forthcoming development on the property.

The local BIA and residents of the city's Bloorcourt neighbourhood are already lamenting the loss of Bakerbots, which has been a beloved staple since 2011, and also the Bloor Court Cafe, a fixture in many people's daily coffee and lunch runs for about the same number of years.

Damn. This hurts. This is the last week to grab a bite and say goodbye one last time to 2 long standing #Bloorcourt businesses that helped add deliciousness and a sense of community here.

Both @bakerbots_baking and @bloorcourtcafe will be closing on July 31st. pic.twitter.com/x1gepBKJmZ

— Bloorcourt (@Bloorcourt_BIA) July 24, 2023

Sad to leave their long-time homes at Bloor Street West and Delaware Ave., near Ossington, the two have no choice now that their landlord is evicting them to complete extensive renovations.

The plans include the addition of multiple floors of new apartments above the storefronts in partnership with a developer.

Owner Mei Song at the cafe shared the news to her Instagram followers late last week, a move that she said in a caption was difficult and sad to have to make.

"I can't begin to describe how much I appreciate all your support throughout the years... I have grown to know many of you on a first-name basis," she wrote.

"Thank you to the local business owners for their support as Bloor Court Cafe became a staple in this neighbourhood. I hope to see some familiar faces at my new location."

Comments on the post and others on the topic across social media show just how connected community members were to Song and Bloorcourt as well as Bakerbots, with many saying that frequenting these spots was the best part of their day.

Residents have been sadly sharing the update in various local Facebook groups. Post from the Friends of Bloorcourt Facebook group.

"Lots of people would come in with their babies and I watched them grow up," she told blogTO of her 11-year tenure on Tuesday, hoping that her regulars end up coming to visit her a few major streets away at the new cafe she just took over in Roncy, called Coffee and All That Jazz.

"The timing was perfect," she adds about her acquisition of the new, larger space, which she has been operating since April when the founders, who are friends of hers, retired.

She also says that her old landlord on Delaware has promised to offer her and the other tenants new leases for their existing spaces after the construction is complete, but she has no idea how long the work will take, as it has been in the planning stages for years already.

Bakerbots, too, will be taking its goodies elsewhere, with owners planning to move fully into their existing space Home Baking Co., which is just down the street at Bloor and Brock. They expressed that they are not interested in talking to media at this time due to the uncertain state of things.

People are devastated to lose the businesses from their neighbourhood, but glad they will still be able to visit them at other locations. Post from the Christie Pits Living Facebook Group.

It seems that Bakerbots will remain open at 205 Delaware Ave. until at least the end of the month, while Bloor Court Cafe closed its doors at 201 Delaware on July 22.

Mei is already running the show at Coffee and All That Jazz at 72 Howard Park Ave., where customers can expect the menu to eventually include the delicious soups, sandwiches and treats that she's known for, as well as her characteristic warmth and kindness.