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After close to 20 years in business in its historic Liberty Village location, The Academy of Spherical Arts has closed its doors:

“Due to circumstances beyond our control,
sadly the Academy had to close its doors
for the last time, December 31 ,2012.

We leave with many fond memories of the good times
that were enjoyed over the last 21 years by both patrons
and staff.

Thank You”

The Academy of Spherical Arts

Known for its events space. fantastic scotch selection and, of course, pool/snooker tables, The Academy will be missed but not forgotten.

Michael Camber

Michael Camber is the #1 selling real estate salesperson in King West and Liberty Village. Since 2003 he has been helping his clients achieve all of their real estate objectives.

24 Comments

  1. Heather - January 11, 2013 Reply

    I just found out that this place is closed! We booked and PAID the deposit on our wedding there. I’ve called and emailed but I can’t get in touch with anyone. I know for sure there is another wedding party booked for a couple of weeks before our wedding since we inadvertently chose the same date.

    We received no warning and no information that this was happening. Any idea how we can get a hold of someone or how we go about and get our money returned to us?

  2. Eileen - January 18, 2013 Reply

    Heather – I had my wedding there and still have a contact email for my planner. Who were you dealing with there? The email may not work anymore, but I can give it to you…

  3. Bill - January 19, 2013 Reply

    I work there for 10 years as a manager. No notice was given to me about this venue closing. Anyone need a manager? This is really sad that it ended this way.

    • Casa Rina - February 4, 2013 Reply

      Bill so sorry to hear about this – sucks when you do not get any notice or package either – good luck with the job search

    • Paul A. - February 5, 2013 Reply

      I was one of the original “members” back when Rick wanted it to be a members only club. I spent way too much time consuming way too much alcohol there. But loads of memories.

      Do you know what happened?

    • Tara Greene - February 18, 2013 Reply

      HI Bill
      I thought of you immediately when I just heard this news today. YOu worked at the academy for so many years. Strange to just lock up and that’s it. Not fair to you and everyone else. WIsh we can stay in touch,
      Blessings
      TARA

    • Patricia - January 4, 2014 Reply

      Hi Bill
      I worked there from 1999-2003.Met my husband there and hosted a few family reunions.What happened? The place, people and times spent there are very dear to my heart. I live in BC now and sadly out of touch.Can you fill me in?
      Thanks, Patricia

  4. Jim - February 18, 2013 Reply

    Hopefully this outstanding place isn’t being sold to a developer for more human warehouses. I will be pissed . So many memories . Sad

  5. Tara Greene - February 18, 2013 Reply

    I was so sad to hear this today. I was the oncall Tarot reader at the Academy since 2004 and loved the Academy’s great energy and staff. It was practically my home away from home. So sad to heart this and to Bill and all the staff I knew over the years, I wish you all the best. Unbelieveable that you weren’t given notice or a package or anthing after all your years of dedication. Fond memories, I hope the beautiful historic building can be kept in its pristine shape. The academy was one of the First Liberty Village businesses out there.

  6. bill atkinson - February 19, 2013 Reply

    Thank you to everyone for the well wishes. This place was my home, and it touch so many people’s lives. I really wish that it would not have ended the way that it did. I wish only the best to everyone who I met over the 10 years at The Academy Of Spherical Arts, and thank you to each and everyone of you for the great memories that you have shared with me. That, nobody can take away from me.Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

  7. Dimitri - February 24, 2013 Reply

    Hi Heather,

    I have a cousin in the same perdiciment. She wanted to show some family the venue and went there for brunch (family day weekend) to find out it was gone!!

    She’s paid deposits and has receipts. Her reception is in May. Poor girl!

    She is so upset!

  8. Shawn - February 27, 2013 Reply

    I used to work there doing security, I loved the place, I just found out it closed, was planning on going there this weekend. So sad, not another place like it!

  9. Heather - February 28, 2013 Reply

    @Eileen, thanks for the response – I didn’t see this until today but I did email and call the coordinatior and seeing as they were shut out of the building, I didn’t expect an answer.

    @Bill, I’m sorry to hear about everyone who lost their jobs there. I thought everyone was warm and helpful when we visited.

    @Dimitri I’m sorry to hear that your cousin’s wedding is so close. Please wish her the best of luck at finding a place. Some places have last minute cancellations so she maybe able to find something and at a discount rate…

    The only positive that came out of this for us is that we found out early enough and have rebooked else where. We thought of all the other couples that were due to have their reception there including another couple who paid for a date we had chosen originally a year even before we saw the place. Yes, the money loss was very upsetting since it is obvious it was in trouble when they took our money but I do feel VERY badly about everyone else affected. If I hadn’t looked on the website randomly, I would have waited until 2 months before our date to contact them about our menu.

    It’s very sad too because it’s such a beautiful spot. I hope someone like Liberty Entertainment snaps it up and reopens it as it was (but profitable).

  10. stefano - March 3, 2013 Reply

    Hello all. I am or was on of the many creditors the Academy had. For over 20 years my family supplied the Academy with meat. We were blind sided as the owner carried on the business right through the busiest month of the year knowing full well that he would use the Christmas break to shut down the business and disappear. He accumulated $ 28000 dollars worth of product over the month of December. This has put our small family business in serious jeopardy. I am looking for anyone who has personal information on rick the owner as we are looking to take legal action . please email me at [email protected]

    thank you

  11. Adriana - March 7, 2013 Reply

    I had my wedding there in October 2012 and could NOT have had a better experience. The staff (Bill, Carey, Jenna) were amazing and took care of everything. Bill even helped carry my wedding dress train as I was loaded into my cab at 2am! I only have good things to say about the Academy. It will be missed.

  12. Norman - March 13, 2013 Reply

    I too was one of the original members of the private Academy, operated by Rick and Ron. And, I also found Rick to be a great guy. Unfortunately, he’s not the first business person to over-extend. I’m wondering if this is somehow my fault. In 2001, my wife threw a surprise 50th birthday party for me at the Coloured Stone, owned at that time by Ron. Days later, it closed. In 2011, my wife threw me a surprise 60th birthday party at the Academy — a fantastic affair. It took a little longer, but the result is the same. If anyone has a business you want closed down, it’s not too early to begin planning my next surprise party. A little gallows humour because this closing really is sad and I certainly feel bad for the suppliers and employees who lost out. And I feel bad for Rick because the Academy was so much a part of him. With all the development that went up around the Academy, I also assumed the place was making money hand over fist. Go figure.

  13. Heatman - March 13, 2013 Reply

    Hi Norman.
    . Everything has to come from the top. It was his business. When you do not want to listen to the people who have you best interest at heart, and who really care about your baby, it all rolls down hill. I feel sorry for all the people that where affected by someones decisions, but that is something that they have to live with. Life goes on.The world is there for the taking for anyone, but it depends on how hungry you are. If you sit and wait for it to come to you, or anyone else for that matter, that is the end result. A business is like a marriage, you have to give to get something back.Class dismissed.

  14. JL - March 16, 2013 Reply

    We got married at the Academy in November 2002 and I always wanted to take my kiddos there to see the gorgeous venue. We live in the USA now – and I’m sad that our next trip home will not include a stop here. So sad.

  15. Kasper - March 24, 2013 Reply

    I went to the Acadamy for the first time this past Christmas. Being a professional pool player, I have to say that I played on the nicest piece of equipment that I have ever set my hand on. The table reminded me of why I first started playing the game in the first place. The thousands of hours logged into this game were destroyed by my love and admiration of this table I was on. The manager at the time played a game with me, and was quite friendly and informative about the history of the tables. Best pool experience in my life, and that’s including playing against the likes of Archer and Strickland. I just tried to go there for my birthday last night, and found it to be closed. What a tragedy! I looked inside…..what’s going on with the tables? Are they sold to private buyers, being put in a museum, going in another establishment? These are all ok with me, but if they are just going to sit there unused, then that is the biggest tragedy of all. To put my hand on the ever so blinding red felt of the gold lion table again has been haunting my dreams. Someone please let me know what is going on with them, and if someone knows, please help me fulfill my dream again.

  16. Liz - April 19, 2013 Reply

    Used to work at the Academy, still talk it up all the time in my line of work, did so today to find the Academy gone? Tragic, an incredibly unique venue difficult to repeat. FYI – back in the day heard the building was owned by the teacher’s union . . .

  17. JANIT - April 22, 2013 Reply

    we had our wedding reception at the Academy 15 years ago this week.Two live bands partying LATE into the night!!!. They were great helping us get it all arranged. Was googleing to see about booking dinner there with our 13 and 11 yr old kids when I discovered the closure. WOW. With how built up that area has become I am stunned that they couldn’t make a go of it. Am disappointed that we cannot return but, by the sound of things , others have much more to deal with than that. Too bad all the way round.

  18. Sheri - April 23, 2013 Reply

    We too offered services to the Academy that have not been paid. If anyone has any idea who we can contact to seek payment, please let me know.

  19. […] called The Barrel. They built a set for series duration but the pilot scenes were shot at the now defunct Academy of Speherical Arts in Liberty […]

  20. Ricky Johnosn - January 30, 2017 Reply

    Sad to hear. Nice place

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