The Dome turns 30 years old next week, and is celebrating with four days of events, September 12 trough 15, with pretty stiff discounts and a number of great performers and DJs at the various venues. The history of the place is becoming lost as memories fade, explains Gary Muise, VP of operations at the Grafton Connor, the company that operates it. But here’s the short of it: in 1982 owner Gary Hurst bought Lawrence of Oregano pub, and My Apartment Lounge on Argyle Street. Then, in the mid-1980s, the parking lot in between was covered with an atrium, connecting the two establishments, and that’s now The Dome’s dancefloor. The two bars had different kinds of licences, one beer and wine, one that prohibited beer sales, which “made for interesting times,” says Muise. Up above was a country bar called the New Armadillos, which eventually became the rock venue The Attic, and now Taboo. Cheers was tacked on sometime in there as well. People about town started referring to the collection of bars as “the liquor dome,” and “why fight it?” laughs Muise. The Dome sees between 7,000 and 8,000 customers each week.
This article appears in Sep 6-12, 2012.
Man, I’m old. I remember when My Apartment was a classy place to go, when Lawrence’s offered 99 cent spaghetti specials, a toast your own bread bar and good pizza, and when the Atrium became the place to go after work. Now it’s just a dive for 19 year-olds.
Great memories from the liquor dome. I am 47 and it was never “classy”. It was just where business people went when I was in university, trying to get in the back doors while underage. Once we turned 19, it was the weekly haunt. Lots of fun, lots of laughs, lots of life happened under that dome. I am sure it’s still the same.. We are just older and more critical. I bet the 19 olds love it just like we did.
I remember visiting in the mid-80s, My Apartment every time my US Coast Guard ship would pull into Halifax. It on the top of the list for many of my crew because it was a great place to get food and drink in the afternoon. It was relaxing. At night, the place was a different story!
Wow great memories. As a sailor in the British Royal Navy in the 80s the Oregano was always the starting point for a run ashore. Great Pizza and a few beers before trying every cocktail The Apartment had on their board before ending the night at The Office (with a few more visits to bars in between but I forgot their names!). Great memories of Halifax NS l, one of my favourite runs ashore.