Hi, I’m Joel, the owner of Bungalow Club in Calgary.

Bungalow Club is proudly queer owned and operated, and from the very beginning, my vision was never just to open a restaurant. I wanted to create a place where everyone feels welcome. A place where people from every background can gather around great food, great wine, meaningful conversation, and genuine hospitality. Bungalow Club was built on the belief that kindness, inclusivity, and community should always have a seat at the table.

This restaurant is more than a business to me. It’s a piece of my heart. I personally spent countless hours designing the space, hand painting walls, building furniture, hanging artwork, and pouring everything I had into creating a place that felt warm and welcoming. Every corner of Bungalow Club has a story behind it because so much of it was built by hand with love.

I’m also incredibly lucky to have a team that believes in this dream as much as I do. They show up every day with heart, they care deeply about our guests, and they deserve so much better than to walk into the aftermath of something like this.

On the night of July 27, our restaurant was broken into and robbed.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the financial impact is significant. Beyond what was stolen, we’re now facing repair costs, increased security expenses, insurance deductibles, and the emotional toll that comes with seeing something you’ve built violated.

Asking for help doesn’t come naturally to me. I’ve always believed that if I worked hard enough, I could get through anything. But so many people have reached out asking how they can support us that I decided to create this page.

If you’re able to donate, thank you. Every contribution will go directly toward replacing what was stolen, repairing the damage, improving our security, and helping us continue serving the community we’ve worked so hard to build.

If donating isn’t possible, there are still so many ways you can help. Share this page, book a table, visit us, tell your friends about us, or simply continue choosing local businesses whenever you can.

Help our neighbours! Help keeping Calgary’s Local scene alive!

To everyone who has supported us, believed in us, and walked through our doors, thank you. Your encouragement has carried us through every challenge, and it will carry us through this one too.

This break-in doesn’t define Bungalow Club. It reminds me why I built it in the first place: for the people. We’ll rebuild, we’ll keep our doors open, and we’ll continue creating a place where everyone belongs.

love you all!