Whistler, British Columbia — The 2025-26 ski season may be starting soon at Whistler Blackcomb, but it will be without one of its closest food options to the Whistler Village Gondola and Fitzsimmons Express Chairlift.
Last week, Zog’s Whistler announced that it’s closing for good. The reason for the decision was that their landlord had announced to them that they would not be renewing their lease. The small dining outlet was known for its hot dogs and poutine.
Before commentators go through the pitchfork motions (a.k.a. “Vail sucks”), it should be noted that they had no impact on this departure. The owner of the land and food outlet is Concord Pacific, a Canadian real estate developer.
Diana Chan, the owner of Zog’s, told Pique Newsmagazine that it followed up after the lease renewal was declined to explore ways to keep the business going at the location. She claims that Concord Pacific offered four-month rolling leases, with a rent increase that she estimated to be 25% based on her sales totals.
“And so we reached out following that, because they have the right to do that under our lease … were we the right fit for them, was it a financial decision?” said Diana Chan to Pique Newsmagazine. “And we were told that no, actually they wanted us to stay, but their offer was a rolling four-month lease, and that yes, there was an increase in rent….We already pay a premium for that space, and they were looking for another 25 per cent.”
In a statement to Pique Newsmagazine, Concord Pacific disputed the 25% claim:
“We did not ask for a 25-per-cent rent increase. That claim is incorrect and appears to be based on her own projection of increased business volume next year. The lease is base on revenue, our proposal was simply a modest adjustment to rent from 10 to 12 per cent—on a lease that has not changed in 20 years and was inherited from the original operator. There is still no ask of recovery of landlord operating costs or property tax under this lease, meaning the strata continues to subsidize those expenses. Despite the small two-per-cent adjustment proposed, we did not receive any counter-proposal…
We respect the current owner, who is an accredited accountant and active on several Whistler boards, but she cannot expect the same terms from 25 years ago. That is why we offered a new, fixed-term lease at below-market rent. This remains a ‘sweetheart deal’ that would not be extended to anyone else. We have now been informed that the owner will not reopen for this season. To support a smooth transition and ensure the community continues to receive quality service, we will offer a rent refund for an early turnover to the current owner so a new operator can be in place ahead of the ski-season opening.”
With a rating of 3.6 stars on Google, it was in the good tier of dining establishments. One thing I did notice and appreciate was that the owner responded to each recent review in a kind manner. In the food industry, addressing every comment with kindness is a tough task.
The local reaction to the news was one of sadness. One of the most insightful comments came from Reddit user Double_Butterfly7782:
“Reasonable food, at a reasonable price. Not much of that left in Whistler.
Thanks for the great service over the years, you all will be missed.”
Image Credits: Zog’s Whistler
