The Pickle Barrel space at The Atrium has been sitting empty since October 2020, but that’s about to change. Canada Computers has put up “Coming Soon” signage in the former restaurant location, bringing the electronics retailer to one of downtown Toronto’s most prominent retail addresses.
It’s been four years since Pickle Barrel closed its doors after a 40-year run at 595 Bay Street. The casual dining chain couldn’t survive the pandemic’s impact on downtown foot traffic, and the space has been a noticeable gap in the shopping centre’s street-level retail ever since.
For Canada Computers, this represents a significant expansion of their downtown presence. The Kingston-founded company has 38 stores across the country, including their existing location on College Street. Moving into The Atrium gives them a second downtown footprint in a much higher-profile location within the complex’s 149,131 square feet of retail space, directly competing with the two Best Buy locations nearby – the flagship at Bay & Dundas and the Best Buy Express (former The Source) inside CF Toronto Eaton Centre. The Atrium’s direct subway access and PATH connection to the CF Toronto Eaton Centre also provides built-in foot traffic advantages.
What makes this interesting is the broader shift happening around Yonge-Dundas Square. While Canada Computers is converting a restaurant space back to retail, we’ve seen the opposite trend directly across the street where Adidas gave way to Shake Shack at The Tenor. The area has been experiencing a retail renaissance, with recent openings including Saku and T&T Supermarket on Edward Street, Nike and Simons at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, and Eataly’s grand opening on November 25th. The Tenor has also added The Ballroom Bowl.
The timing makes sense. Foot traffic around the square is still down 10-15% from 2019 levels, but it’s been steadily climbing back. The Atrium itself is a 1.04 million square foot complex with over 5,000 office workers, plus demographics that show 59,978 people within a 1km radius with an average household income of $83,822. The day population swells to over 201,000 people within that same radius, creating a substantial customer base for electronics retail. Canada Computers has built a solid reputation among PC gamers and tech enthusiasts looking for better prices than the big box stores offer.
There’s also a gap to fill. When Future Shop shuttered its downtown locations in 2015, it left a hole in the electronics retail landscape that Best Buy never quite filled completely. Canada Computers could capture some of that specialized market, especially given their strength in gaming components and DIY computer builds.
No word yet on when the store will actually open, but getting signage up suggests they’re moving forward with buildout plans. The Atrium is currently managed by Colliers for owner KingSett Capital, following Colliers’ recent completion of its acquisition of Triovest in June 2025.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.