The area councillor says it’s time for HRM to take back control of the old Spring Garden Road Memorial Library. At the next meeting of Regional Council, Waye Mason will request a staff report looking at formally withdrawing HRM’s offer to return the old library back to the province. “My feeling is a lot of […]
Downtown
Posted inNews + Opinion
Ciboulette is expanding, re-opening as the Bird’s Nest
After over nine years as a tucked-away upstairs gem at 1541 Barrington Street, Ciboulette Cafe & Catering is ready to sparkle a little brighter from a street-level location next-door. “We outgrew the spot many years ago, but until now I’ve been struggling to find the right venue to expand into,” says owner Brady Muller who […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
World Tea House fighting for survival on Argyle Street
Argyle is open for business, but you wouldn’t know it from the look of the place, and that’s causing problems for the street’s storefronts. “PLEASE help us survive,” the World Tea House screamed on Tuesday into the void of Twitter. The business is currently treading water on week six of the much-feared Argyle Street beautification […]
Posted inFood + Drink
The fantastic East of Grafton and where to find it
East of Grafton 1580 Argyle Street Tue-Fri 12-3pm & 5:30-10pm Sat 11:30am-3pm & 5:30-11pm Sun 11:30am-10pm East of Grafton probably wishes it was anywhere else, thanks to the nonsensical oversaturation of construction that has basically made Argyle Street the shittiest place to spend time on the peninsula. (“Hold my beer.” —The Waterfront.) We have all […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Bowtique’s got a new ‘do
“We were there since we opened!” says Meg Ryan of the news that her beloved Barrington Street boutique, Bowtique Hair & Makeup, had made a move to Granville Square— 1861 Granville to be exact. “But change is good. Everyone here is really excited.” The move means instead of over-looking a busy downtown strip, the salon […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Train rides to ease Queen’s Marque construction pains
A “community road train” could be jauntily chugga-chugging through downtown traffic come this summer. On Tuesday HRM council asked for a staff report on funding Ambassatours’ answer to the city’s Queen’s Marque construction woes. The three-carriage road “train” will shuttle folks along Lower Water Street—from the Discovery Centre to Historic Properties—and then back on Hollis […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The Wooden Monkey files for more than $500,000 in statement of claim
The Wooden Monkey restaurant is “leading the march” in filing its claim with the Utility and Review Board, says lawyer Ray Wagner. Wagner is representing multiple downtown businesses in a lawsuit against the municipal, provincial and federal governments, the Halifax Convention Centre Corporation as well as Argyle Developments Inc. and its parent company Rank Incorporated. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The Argyle gets nostalgic with Vinyl Retro Dance Lounge
Start polishing your dancing shoes (er, platform sneakers?), The Argyle Grill & Bar‘s (1575 Argyle Street) plan to convert its basement into a new weekend dance party. The restaurant/bar’s mostly unused downstairs space will be re-vamped to become Vinyl Retro Dance Lounge, a concept The Argyle’s parent company Urban Sparq Hospitality has tried—with much success—in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Parking overhaul pitched for downtown
[Image-1] Downtown drivers should brace for changes in how they park on city roads. The cost of an expired parking meter in HRM could double later this year—up from $25 to $50 per violation. Planning chief Bob Bjerke said during budget talks this week at City Hall that the revenue is needed to cover increasing […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Steak expectations at The Barrington
There are something like 30 million Google results for how to cook a perfect steak. Oil it, butter it, rub it, rest it, give it a hug and whisper affirmations at it. If anything in this world would ever prevent humanity from forming a hive mind, it will probably be true agreement over correctly eyeballing […]
Posted inFood + Drink
Steven Cross: called to the bar
“I started downtown,” says Steven Cross, bartender at 2 Doors Down. “I’m one of the old guys. I started in 1993 at the Misty Moon; I was a doorman first. I could list off all the bars: I was at Rogues’, the Palace, The Old Triangle. It’s a lot.” Anybody who regularly went to a […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Nova Centre to open sometime between next Christmas and never
[Image-1] The downtown’s biggest suck will plague local businesses for another 12 months, at least. Construction on the Halifax Convention Centre won’t be complete until at least December, 2017. That’s roughly a two-year delay from original plans for a January, 2016 opening, which were subsequently pushed back to this September, and then again recently delayed […]