Best of Halifax | THE COAST

Another year, another group of untouchables. Once again we’re pleased to roll out the red carpet for the Best of Halifax Hall of Fame, a place to honour the long-running, seemingly invincible champs.

This year five new names join the ranks of the best of the Best, as we induct the Ecology Action Centre, Strange Adventures, Rouge Fatale, Attica Furnishings and Duggers—who have over 60 gold wins between them—to the Best of Halifax big leagues. That means next year, Best Activist Organization, Best Comics Shop, Best Drag Performer, Best Furniture Store and Best Men’s Clothing store will be up for grabs for the first time in a decade.

For the first 21 years of our annual readers’ choice awards, our HOF worked a little differently: We retired categories, not winners, sort of like when a sports team retires a jersey number. This was a meaningful tribute for impenetrable victors, but it meant no one could vote in, or win, that category ever again. For example, Best Shawarma will belong to Mezza Lebanese Cuisine in perpetuity. In 2016 we decided it was time for a change. We still wanted to celebrate the legends who had their categories on lock for 10-plus years, but felt there was healthy enough competition for awards like Best Chinese and Best Pizza to keep them in the mix. Your Father’s Moustache had 17 Best Patio plaques in the bag, but there were lots of up-and-comers on its tail.

So we decided to update our criteria. Ten consecutive wins would earn a winner a place in the Hall of Fame—a place it would be celebrated for as long as this readers’ survey exists—but the category would remain. It not only allows us to give major props where they’re due, but welcome new winners into the mix as well. And Hall of Famers are still eligible to win other categories in the survey (see Best Pizza Slice).

Congratulations, everyone. I think we’re going to need a bigger spotlight.

THE BEST OF HALIFAX HALL OF FAME