Club NRG and Showtunes are closed, and the first-floor space at 2215 Gottingen is now home to Blue Moon Bistro and a new after-hours club. Owners Chris Robinson and John Dickinson are looking to create a fresh atmosphere inspired by a “New Orleans-type style”; they plan to host lots of live music including jazz, soul and R&B during restaurant hours. As for clientele, Robinson says “everybody-friendly” is the key term. “We want everybody here,” he says. “We’re here to feed and support everybody, that’s the bottom line. Food doesn’t distinguish; everybody has to eat, everybody wants to drink, so why not come to our place?” Located below Evolution Cabaret, the new after-hours club will make 2215 Gottingen an all-in-one nightspot. Blue Moon swings into bar-mode after 9pm, “and once that closes at 2am,” says Robinson, “then by all means come on back to the after-hours club and that will run till 9am, and then, when you leave there, by all means, come to the Blue Moon and have breakfast. It’s entertainment and food all under one roof, so you really don’t have to leave for anything. That’s the ideal thing.”
Tasty audio
Whiskey Jack Studios, a portable recording studio based in the north end, opened officially on December 1. Owner Andrew Gillis studied sound recording in Montreal, but had a hard time finding work since moving back to Halifax so he decided to open his own business. “So far I’ve mostly been recording bands,” says Gillis, “but I’d like to do a little bit of work for film, and maybe record some choirs and orchestras as well.” Gillis owns all his own equipment, including a selection of Rode and Bluebird mics, and Whiskey Jack Studios runs Protools 7.0 on Mac OS X.
So long, furwell
Mitchell Furs at 6247 Quinpool will close its doors at the end of February. “We are closing the retail operation,” says owner Newman Riggs. The store operated out of the Quinpool location for 12 years and was located downtown before that. “I’m getting old,” says Newman, “I’ve been at it for a lot of years.”
Free swinging
Citadel Physiotherapy at 5536 Sackville now offers massage therapy, along with its full range of physiotherapy treatments. The clinic first opened last June, but “we’ve gotten up to full swing with adding the massage therapy,” says owner Daniela Rubinger. “With the physiotherapy, if someone has really tense muscles, we can’t get in and do what we need to do, so the massage therapist can get in and work with them first, and then the physiotherapy becomes more effective.” Registered massage therapist Alison Capstick joined the Citadel team last month, after three years of working in Mont Tremblant, Jasper and Halifax. Citadel Physiotherapy treats a wide range of injuries, including those stemming from sports and car accidents, sprains and strains from “weekend warriors,” and postural injuries. “Teaching proper posture is a huge part of what our physiotherapists do,” says Rubinger. “I always find if patients can concentrate on keeping their shoulders back everything else follows. That’s the key.”
Re-tiled
Renovators Resource at 6040 Almon salvaged swimming pool tiles (among other items) from the former YWCA building on Barrington. “So that they would not be lost,” says manager Mike Gorman. “We didn’t pull them out of the pool, they were just excess tiles that were left over, but rather than see them in the landfill, I’ll keep anything that can be saved and is economically viable.”
Sandwich florists
A new Subway Restaurant is opening at the corner of Fenwick and Queen in the former location of Fenwick Flower World. Fenwick Flower has relocated to a new, smaller shop in the same building at 5570 Fenwick Street. “We cannot afford the big shop anymore,” says owner Charlie Khoury. “Before we did a lot of business in plants, but the plants aren’t moving anymore so now we only do business in cut flowers, and that’s why we’re moving to the smaller shop, so we can do the same business I hope.”
Power of three
Trinity restaurant celebrated its first year in business in January. Owner Ross Miller credits Trinity’s success to “great service, great food and good value for your dollar in a nice, casual environment.” Trinity also caters, and “our catering has taken off big time,” says Miller, who runs the business with partner Mary Lord. “She built the whole business from the ground up,” says Miller, “and it’s going very well.” As for the 1333 South Park restaurant, menu favourites include maple squash soup, crepes, pizza and pork tenderloin. “It’s been a battle,” says Miller of the past year. “Boy, there are a lot places going under on Spring Garden, so we’re pretty happy that we’re still here.”
Open and shut on Quinpool
Bare Necessities Day Spa on Quinpool is closed and the space is for lease. Across the street and further west, Croc Stop cafe is slated to open February 8. “It’s a upscale cafe to go with Niko Video,” says manager Robert Henneberry.
Opening? Closing? Just plain Awesome? We want to know. Email to: [email protected]
