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While so many restaurants and bars around Seattle face uncertain futures due to the COVID-19 shutdown, one of Seattle’s very best beer spots is absolutely certain about what happens next. Toronado Seattle is closed forever. Apparently, the COVID shutdown was the straw that broke the camel’s back. This hugely sad announcement was made this afternoon on Facebook.

In 2014, Matt Bonney, a local icon in the Seattle beer industry, opened his own beer institution, Toronado Seattle, in Seattle’s Roosevelt neighborhood. Last March, Matt unexpectedly and suddenly passed away. The family picked up the reigns and kept the business running. Until now. No doubt there is more to the story, but that doesn’t really matter at the moment. The Toronado Seattle is closed.

In the coming months, keep an eye out for beers in the Book of Bonney series — collaboration beers created with local breweries in honor of Matt.

This is truly a dark day for the Seattle beer scene in a lot of different ways. Here is the announcement as it appeared on Facebook:

Like many forms of human expression, a business represents the embodiment of an individual’s (or collective) dream shared with a community. A business provides a service, provides an experience, and above all provides memories. As an expression of one or more people, it easy for customers to feel an intimacy not just with the business but those who navigate it along currents of time. It is for this reason that we not only recognize a business’s birth, continued progress but also its regrettable demise.

Today, during a time when community is important, the Toronado, is shutting down. With an uncertain future do to the COVID-19 out brake. As cliche as this will sound, this decision was not an easy one for us to make. As of this post, we have locked our doors forever.

Some of you will feel disappointed by this decision. While it will be a shock to many more. But what we do not want is any of you to feel ashamed or that you let the Toronado or the Bonney’s dream of owning a business down.

To those who visited us during these nearly six years, Lynn and I thank every one of you. You supported Matt and Lynn during the slow parts of each year and the most vigorous ones as well. Whether it was a pint, a plate of bacon, or just for a short conversation, we appreciated you taking the time to stop in and support us.

A special thanks also goes out to those who supplied us with fresh-baked bread, high quality produce and meat. In addition, we want to thank the countless breweries, brewers, distilleries, distillers, wineries, vintners, cideries, and cider makers for sharing their dreams of inspiring guests with every sip.

We would like to also thank each and every industry employee who supported the Tornonado by hosting brewery nights, brewery dinners, or by inviting us to collaborate on something unique. Whether we see you on the street or during the next collaboration at a distant address, know that you are family and will be in our thoughts, hearts and memories.

We are always a positive family and conclusion of Toronado and Matt’s dream does not stop with the turn of a key. In the coming months and years, Lynn and I have been collaborating with breweries which Matt Bonney was fond of, creating a series of beers called “The Book of Bonney”. Starting with Urban Family, we invite you to lookout for Chapter 1 in this ongoing series of collaborations.

Until then, I ask that you continue Matt, Lynn, and Phil’s dream of supporting the community by visiting your nearest small business and keep us in your thoughts.

From your loving and caring staff,

Toronado Seattle