hat's off

it came to my attention recently that the owners of the Rex hotel and jazz bar were offered a GIANT, (and I mean GIANT) pile of money to close their current establishment and relocate (all expenses-paid, the story goes) across the street. the developer for the new office tower next door really wanted the whole block, like really badly, but the Rex owners held out, or held off.

with rumblings of the Great Hall now going up for sale further west down Queen, it's great to see that some people are able to hold out against big development.