'We want the game to grow': Toronto's Sonndr Cafe promoting soccer culture, community

A neighbourhood cafe in west Toronto has emerged as a hub for its growing community.

However, the owners of Sonndr Cafe – united by a love of soccer – are doing more than just providing a caffeine fix; they're fostering a culture of belonging through a passion for the sport.

Perhaps that's the effect of a business founded by three born-and-bred Torontonians, two of whom are former Toronto FC players.

"For the first year, no one knew who ran and owned Sonndr, and we loved that," Ashtone Morgan, former TFC fullback and current co-owner of Sonndr, told CBC Sports.

"We wanted people to come here for who we are, aside from football. We really pride ourselves on that."

But when the cafe opened its doors, it quickly became a place frequented by TFC players, neighborhood regulars, and naturally, people with a passion for soccer.

Morgan owns Sonndr along with former teammate Liam Fraser – a current midfielder for FC Dallas – and with childhood friend Rakgwedi Manet Ramphore, who has a background in hospitality.

"Being from Toronto, I think it was very empowering for us to be able to start a business, grow a community within the city, and leave a legacy," he said.

Rooted in the origin of its name, Sonder, a term defined as the realization that every individual has their own complex and full life, the cafe aims to be a place that welcomes all people through its doors.

And while their customer base is not limited to the Toronto soccer community, the attraction is certainly there.

Whether it's their World Cup viewing parties that spill onto the paralleling sidewalk, or the Torontonians spotted around town wearing the branded jersey that's plastered onto the storefront window, representative of "futbol, coffee, friendships, and the space that we occupy," Sonndr's effect on the soccer community is present within the city.

If you build it, they will come 

As pro soccer players with unconventional work schedules, Morgan and Fraser would often find themselves at different cafes following their mornings on the pitch. Eventually, they began to wonder, "Why not try this ourselves?"

After leasing an old, stained-glass church for a year as the original Sonndr location, the trio opened up their current spot on Dundas West in August of 2023 — coincidentally, the same day Morgan announced his retirement from soccer after 13 years.

While the founders were initially resistant to drilling soccer into the business, they soon came around to the idea.

"We've always felt like the soccer side was easy because we've been doing it," Morgan said.

Now, he draws parallels between the cafe culture and the one he's familiar with on the field, where diverse cultures, languages, and unique life experiences, all blend together.

"It's like a safe haven, a clubhouse."

A place for people to gather

The commitment to community and soccer goes beyond the four walls of Sonndr.

For the past two years, Sonndr has sponsored FC Cold Sand, a co-ed club team that shares the cafe's values and vision, attracting everyone from former pros' to plumbers to lace up their cleats.

At any given point, about 30 players are eager to partake in the teams Tuesday and Thursday runs, a mix of 7-on-7 and 11-on-11.

The latter tends to be nostalgia-filled nights where players who may have been out of the game for a while are reminded of their childhood love of a full soccer game.

"We have guys on our team who were also ex-professionals, played at the collegiate level, or were part of TFC Academy at one point," said Morgan, who now trains youth players in the aforementioned academy.

Sonndr also provides a place where FC Cold Sand can gather and fully express themselves, Micheal Wagenknecht, founder of FC Cold Sand, told CBC Sports.

"It's a place where we can run into each other without even saying we are going to be there," he said. "It's not a soccer cafe, but it's known that that vibe is there."

In alignment with Sonndr's inclusive nature, FC Cold Sand, which travels to play in other cities, aims to one day reach even more people in need of a welcoming community.

"We'd love to get to a point where we have a model that can support new Canadians or people who need more accessibility to soccer," Wagenknecht said.

He adds that he's inspired by the Regent Park United Soccer League, an organization that provides free soccer to Toronto kids, where both Morgan and he have volunteered their time.

And with the upcoming Northern Super League — the first women's professional Canadian soccer league — and the FIFA World Cup en route to Toronto in 2026, the success of Sonndr may be right on time for a growing fan base across the city.

"We want the game to grow … to promote the culture of soccer and leave a legacy in our own city," Morgan said.

As for the cafe itself, it plans to continue building a sense of community in the years ahead.

"We're doing something right, right?"