How an old cereal factory became a world-class destination

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From a derelict, five-storey cereal manufacturing mecca to a family-friendly tourist destination, 100 Kellogg Lane in London, Ont., is an urban commercial reimagination story.

The vision of a pair of local entrepreneurial families – the McLaughlins and the Leaches, operating as The Cribbage Group – and an injection of more than $100-million, has delivered a buzz of activity back to the 23-acre, one-million-square-foot site that sat silent for years.

Instead of roasting Kellogg cereal, friends are toasting classic cocktails at a craft distiller, climbing the on-site adventure park’s ropes course and indulging in music memorabilia at the newly opened Hard Rock Hotel.

A historic landmark reborn

The reimagination of 100 Kellogg Lane came from the desire to create more tourist destinations and entertainment areas in London. Inspired by Toronto’s Liberty Village and the reinvention of Detroit’s downtown, the idea was to transform a historic landmark into a social hub.

“We felt there was a lot of potential to offer Londoners in a historical building that meant so much to our community for such a long time,” says Martha Leach, partner at 100 Kellogg Lane. “If we could revitalize this heritage site, we knew that it would be awesome for the city and for ourselves.”

Beginning in 1924 and continuing for 90 years, residents in London’s east end woke to the aroma of roasting cereal wafting in the air. At its peak, the Kellogg Co. of Canada manufacturing plant operated 24 hours a day to produce 750,000 cereal boxes. It closed in December, 2014, leaving the site vacant for more than three-and-a-half years.

Phase 1 of the ambitious regeneration project opened in 2018, and it included an indoor adventure park called The Factory, complete with a ropes course, a trampoline park, an arcade and more. A local craft brewery and restaurant, dubbed Powerhouse Brewery, opened the following year, and the year after that, in 2020, local distillery Paradigm Spirits Co. opened alongside a new mini-golf and indoor sports centre called The Club House.

This past spring, following the London Children’s Museum relocation from downtown to 100 Kellogg Lane, the Hard Rock Hotel arrived.

“It’s just nice to offer something for everybody that’s been intentional,” Ms. Leach says. “Part of building out our facility is to create memories, whether you’re a creative brain, an activity person or a music-lover, we want to make sure there’s something for everyone.”

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For those about to rock

Some may be surprised to see the Hard Rock Hotel set up an outpost in London. It makes more sense when you learn that London is Canada’s first UNESCO City of Music, a designation honouring the efforts of cities around the world to recognize creativity as “a strategic factor for sustainable development.”

On April 16, London’s 164-room Hard Rock Hotel officially opened its doors, and it’s already getting international press from publications such as Forbes Travel Guide, which named it one of the top 11 new hotels to visit globally.

Tourists are travelling from as far as Europe to stay at the historic site.

“Our brand really speaks to a lot of people and is coveted around the world,” says Brendon Ainscow, general manager at Hard Rock Hotel London. “People have travelled from across the globe to stay here just because it’s the newest Hard Rock … We’ve had what our brand calls ‘pinheads,’ a group of followers that travel from Hard Rock to Hard Rock hotel just to collect our pins and merchandise.”

Mr. Ainscow shares a recent example, where a couple travelled from France to London to stay at the hotel for one night, purchasing $700 worth of merchandise and pins from the brand’s Rock Shop retail store.

The Hard Rock Hotel was also interested in the family-friendly nature of the site.

“This entire complex essentially has become more of an urban resort,” Mr. Ainscow says. “It’s a place where families can come and stay for multiple nights and literally never have to step foot outside of the building if they don’t want to. So, it’s a perfect fit for Hard Rock, which gives you the music-centric vibe, along with multiple food and beverage outlets and multiple entertainment options.”

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Designing a chic space

Hard Rock and hotel manager Dora Hotel Co. worked with lead architect Brisbin Brook Beynon (BBB) Architects – its recent projects include reimagining downtown Hamilton’s TD Coliseum music venue – to design London’s new Hard Rock Hotel.

“BBB Architects worked closely with the Hard Rock to create a beautiful design that exceeded our brand standards,” Mr. Ainscow says. “They took the [historical] elements of the building that existed and incorporated them in a way that looks incredibly purposeful … giving it an industrial chic look.”

The hotel’s speakeasy bar features cereal-infused cocktails in a nod to the site’s history. Other amenities include an indoor/outdoor heated pool, the signature Rock Shop retail store and music memorabilia – such as Celine Dion’s and Shania Twain’s stage outfits, as well as Alex Lifeson’s guitar – curated throughout the hotel.

The reinvention of 100 Kellogg Lane is far from finished. The Cribbage Group is looking to work with the Hard Rock to add a couple hundred rooms and London city council recently approved the site’s expansion with four mixed-use buildings.

“There’s definitely a buzz now around the city about all the things going on here at Hard Rock and at 100 Kellogg Lane,” Mr. Ainscow says. “It’s something that brings a sense of pride to Londoners.”