Downtown Dartmouth reviving traditions

The Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission is tapping into an older holiday tradition with a district-wide window/ storefront decor contest running this season.

It is an idea that originated in late 19th century New York City, where it was mostly department stores and hotels that went all in decorating for the holiday season. The tradition spread and many community department stores in Nova Scotia would be proud of their imaginative presentation each year.

The public has an opportunity to vote for their favorite window decorations at downtowndartmouth.ca. There is also a photo gallery on Downtown Dartmouth’s Facebook page. Here are some more retail and restaurant happenings:

• Rumoured to be in the works for many years, Sobeys has opened its new store in Timberlea, at 65 Marketway Lane just off the exit of Highway 103. The store boasts a parking lot that paved in part with postconsumer plastic, equivalent to six-million plastic grocery bags.

• Cobs Bread, the Canadian division of Australia’s Bakers Delight, will be opening in the New Year in the Bedford Place Mall. There are already more than 100 Cobs Bread locations in Canada, mostly located in the Toronto area and in the west.

• Bedford Place Mall has a nostalgic surprise with the return of Galaxy 51 Arcade.

• The return of the arcade has been a trend of late. Over the past 18 months or so, arcades have opened in downtown Dartmouth bar Staggers, Propeller Brewing on Gottingen Street, the Best Western Chocolate Lake Hotel and the Sunnyside Mall. The trend also continues this Friday when the lower level of The Pint on Argyle Street reopens as Pubcade.

• The former The Watch That End the Night space in Kings Wharf will be coming back to life in the New Year as a pan-Asian inspired bar.

• Goldwater Seafoods has closed its corner shop in the Halifax Seaport Market. A tough go for free-standing fish mongers this year. Back in August, Hooked closed its permanent shop on Charles Street and is open on Saturdays in the Brewery Market.

• Mondo Take-Out on Montebello Drive in Dartmouth has closed its doors.

• LumberMart, at the bottom of Wright Ave in Burnside, has closed. It will reopen briefly starting Dec. 9 for a liquidation sale.

• Forever 21 in Mic Mac Mall is now closed.

• Highway 102 Surplus in Elmsdale is closing earlier next year

• Mumford Pizza on Mumford Road has closed, while building neighbours Beeler’s Security has moved to 70 Lacewood Dr. and Elections Nova Scotia has moved to 202 Brownlow Ave. in Burnside. This is all ahead of redevelopment of the property to a mixed use 22-storey tower.