You read that right. Ruthie Cummings is putting her restaurant, Das Gasthaus (German for The Guesthouse), up for sale. But she won’t be waiting patiently for the offers to roll in. Instead, Cummings has decided to sell the restaurant via raffle. She’ll be selling 4000 tickets for $150 each and drawing one name. That person will win the restaurant business and everything inside and be free to do with it what they choose.
Cummings opened Das Gasthaus, which is located on Danforth steps away from Broadview station, only two years ago after saving for ten years to be able to achieve her dream of owning her own restaurant.
She isn’t selling the business because she wants to, but because she has to. Her parents are both in their 80’s and instead of putting them in nursing homes, and potential separating them, she’s decided to focus on taking care of them for the next couple years so they can die peacefully in their own home, surrounded by family.
“I’m putting my dream on the back burner for the moment to care for my parents,” Cummings said. “The only thing I’m taking with me is my family paintings.” So, the winner of the raffle will own a fully operational and profitable restaurant without having to go through the struggle of starting a new business.
“I would love to see someone with the same kind of passion that I had. Being able to to walk in here and take it over, and create what they want to do. Make it their dream, and their forever restaurant,” Cummings said.
You can buy a raffle tickets at www.winarestaurant.com until November 30, or until they sell out. Remember there are only 4000 tickets available, and a lot of chefs and aspiring business owners in Toronto that will jump at the opportunity, so don’t wait too long. The draw will take place on December 1, 2015.
