Dorothy has tolerated me for 47 years. My dog is 11. This pathetic blog has been grinding it out for nine years. And my current financial business is heading towards its tenth. Other than that, I have a dangerously short attention span. It could account for all the houses owned in various cities over the years. It probably explains the entrepreneurial volatility. Once something is done, working, finished, it gets bor-ing. Like a gnat with a line of credit, I buzz off in another direction and buy something new.
Well, it’s happened again. Since this blog has sometimes included an update on my offline activities, here’s the latest news.
In late 2015 I bought a geriatric pile of bricks in the touristy countryside north of Toronto, rebuilt the 1888 structure and opened the Belfountain General Store. The emporium, wannabe Sbux and gourmet ice cream hangout came to employ 19 people and actually make money. Who knew? My job was sweeping the patio, talking to bikers and staying out of the way of Lorna and The Girls. And the customers kept coming.
This past week I sold it after receiving an offer I didn’t wish to refuse and which released my inner gnat. As of today Lorna and her crew will be working with a new owner-operator who’ll probably do a lot more than sweep. It’s bittersweet, of course. The store was a cool thing and the deed made me proud. Love creating stuff, and giving people jobs. But it was just running too smoothly, efficiently, seamlessly. Apparently I thrive on chaos. And get bored fast.
So off to the next mess.
It’s a 111-year-old pile of grey granite with a copper dome on the top, a personal-use vault, safety-deposit boxes, bullet-proof glass and foot-thick slab floors. Yes, a bank. When BeeMo pulled up stakes after cashing cheques and taking deposits here for 110 years, it went on the market, sat dejected and leaking, waiting for some fool to arrive. That would be me. Now it’s my bank, which means Bandit, Dorothy and I are good for when the zombie apocalypse comes.
Actually this will be a weird but memorable office for my financial business. It’s located in a place I love being, splitting my time between there (on the sea in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia) and the Big Smoke (the 53rd floor of a scary Bay Street bank tower).
Of course, my guys had to rip out a mess of bank wickets (now I know exactly where those panic buttons are located), untangle decades of cables from endless renovations, demolish the ATM enclosure, throw up some walls, rewire the place (anybody want a rack full of B of M servers?), pull off signage and, best of all, restore the banking hall the way it was originally built. The architects, Peden & McLaren, had fashioned the little fortress along the lines of the head office branch in Montreal, with classical lines, soaring ceilings and carefully-balanced details. As you might imagine, nobody cared about that in the 1960s when an addition was built and everything curvaceous was made square. Well, it’s curvy again.
A big deal was pulling a 60-year-old night deposit safe, weighing 3,000 pounds, out of the original doorway where it has been stuffed, cemented in and faced with stone. That happened this week thanks to a couple of guys who work for glory and beers. Now we can restore that opening with a door being hewed for the occasion.
Yes, I know. It would have been easier and cheaper to rent space. But this way I will have unique corporate office space to lease out, great digs for my own business, the satisfaction of rescuing an iconic pile of stones and a peaceful respite when the walking dead arrive. The vault might also make an ideal day care facility, I’m thinking.
By the way, deposits are welcome.
172 comments ↓
Frankly, you are an inspiration. There should be more Garth Turners in the world. Well done and good luck on this new project!
Garth I would have brought that too. Smashing place. More than iconic.
The saying goes, “When all your work is done, it’s time to die!” Sounds like you’ll live forever! :-)
I wonder if Garth had Dorothy in the loop this time around! or was it a “guess what I did today, honey” type of moment.
It is far better to ask for forgiveness than permission. – Garth
first
Just needed a little TLC
Time
Labour
Cash
Keep inspiring us Garth
Forgiveness versus permission – the only way I have ever found to buy a motorcycle while married.
Looks nice and bright. I’m jeally. Any sendoff meetups at the General Store this summer?
All I can say is ‘WOW!!!’. Love well built (stone, marble, granite, brick etc.) buildings. Also love Lunenburg & the entire south shore area of NS. Looking forward to spending some quality time there later this year. Will definitely make an effort to stroll by the revitalized edifice on my next visit.
You realize this plays into the crowd that rails against you for piling on real estate investment while constantly flipping places yourself, right?
I imagine you smiling at night at the thought of how angry they get
As satisfying as the thought, there is a slight difference between income-producing, business-holding properties and a seven-figure slanty semi. – Garth
Good on you Garth for preserving our past through building restoration. In this country we seem to tear everything down when it starts to get old. Keep up the gnating. (Not sure if that’s a word)
Are the windows bullet proof from the inside or from the outside?
Back to the future when they built banks that actually held something of value. Nice new digs, congratulations!
Congrats on the new investment Garth, it looks lovely. Kind of epitomizes a bricks and mortar investment eh?
;) Good luck and have fun
Why did beemo have such a small safe? I guess that was a really small local branch. Most decently large banks have room sized ones. Around Montreal there’s been building conversions that simply left them in – forget moving literally tonnes of concrete, brick and metal.
Whilst not as grandiose as the ‘real’ one located here on St. James (St. Jacques), at least you KNOW it’s solid and worth owning those bricks. Cool and unique, I always like old commercial RE renovations.
That was the night deposit box, not the safe. It’s the size of an average moister condo. – Garth
Mr. Dressup’s plan to subsidize the Texas mega corporation wanting to build a dirtiest oil (tar sand) pipeline in BC is interesting. Sounds like he wants to use our tax dollars, and that also sounds like a subsidy under NAFTA laws. If that every gets re-negotiated I’m sure the US Oil Barons and their attorneys will have a field day.
I can’t believe you sold Belfountain nooooooo!!!
But anyway congrats, the new place does look amazing.
Love it!
Yeah for the good guys- that’s you Garth and boo to the bad!
That’s these guys:
https://thinkpol.ca/2018/05/11/vigilante-retaliates-realtors-took-full-page-ad-inciting-wealthy-homeowners-crash-ebys-town-hall/
The new BOG (Bank of Garth) Building looks smashin’
Congrats and hoping there are many more after that one!
Well Garth good luck on the new adventure. nothing like rolling the dice,but i think you will do fine. its all about entrepreneurship and taking risk that makes this country great. lets hope our elected officials do not screw it up,or legislate laws that make it impossible to win when a person rolls the dice. Cheers!
“Apparently I thrive on chaos. And get bored fast.”-GT
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Got the perfect ‘fix’ for you, Garth: invest/speculate in precious metals; not a boring day in your life!
And if the equities don’t offer you enough excitement, you could always try Futures. It’s where boys become men! :)
TCC
And stallions are gelded. – Garth
Actually this will be a weird but memorable office for my financial business. It’s located in a place I love being, splitting my time between there (on the sea in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia) and the Big Smoke (the 53rd floor of a scary Bay Street bank tower).
………………………………………………………………….
This place has charm and architectural characteristics not found very much in the big smoke. Never been to Canada’s east coast I hear it is pretty and the people are nice.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/bank-museum-historic-preserved-1.3578996
That is so freaking awesome! Congrats Garth and family. Makes me miss Nova Scotia. Enjoy.
Garth is truly impressive in terms of being busy and getting things done. Clearly great at multi-tasking.
I just visited Amsterdam where 350 year old town houses on the canals are still very much in use and are THE prime real estate. Meanwhile on my street near Edmonton a 36 year old two story house was completely torn down a couple of years ago including the foundation and replaced with what is admittedly a much nicer house. But I was shocked. The owners of the 36 year old house had owned it for about 20 years and rather than renovate or move they decided to tear down. Had that circa 1980 house been of better quality it would not have been torn down.
The Bank of Montreal building , thanks to Garth, is likely to be around for its 200th birthday. Well done.
What colour will your bank be?
Wow congratulations Garth! On both deals!
#25 Shawn Allen on 05.11.18 at 4:33 pm
I just visited Amsterdam where 350 year old town houses on the canals are still very much in use and are THE prime real estate. Meanwhile on my street near Edmonton a 36 year old two story house was completely torn down a couple of years ago including the foundation and replaced with what is admittedly a much nicer house. But I was shocked. The owners of the 36 year old house had owned it for about 20 years and rather than renovate or move they decided to tear down. Had that circa 1980 house been of better quality it would not have been torn down.
___________________________________________
That’s what happens when houses are made of MDF. I’ve never really understood the premise of buildings made entirely of wood, do people want them to fall apart and need rebuilding every 50 years?
I’m from the UK (obviously) and there are plenty of houses still going strong from the 1600’s or even older. Sure, they might need some renovation, but beats knocking it down twice a century. Stone/bricks have such great character too. North American houses are entirely characterless and boring.
Don’t blame you selling the general store. The attack dogs of liberalism were coming for every last drop of profit.
Good move? Might be relocating to bridge water after my California adventure gets boaring.
Congratulations and the obligatory suck up are in order.
An offer you could not refuse.
Maybe Monday you call tell us who in the Corleone family made that offer :-0)
Maybe the pot smoking kid in Ottawa and wild Bill can learn how small businesses create jobs and employment.
All the best Garth, hope it works out as you planned.
Only way this investment can go south for sure, if you loose the key to main door.
How refreshing, congratulations!!
Beautiful space Garth. Glad to see you sticking with the original appearance. Too many of these “classic” buildings get modernized and lose their charm.
“This past week I sold it after receiving an offer I didn’t wish to refuse…”GT
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A bit nosey on my part, but I’m wondering:
Are you taking a loss, after all expenses are accounted for?
Or, are you just eager to give T2 his share for ‘allowing’ you to do business?
You were, after all, so proud of it – and you had gotten rather smoothe at the sweeping technique!
TCC
Only trading cowboys like you lose money. – Garth
Congratulations on your new project Garth!
I suspect that building was commissioned by my great, great grandfather.
Suggestion: convert the vault into a wine cellar!
Thank god you are finally renovating the bank.
As discussed last year Garth, all your BITCOINS should now be safe….. and finally out of our casa in Mexico.
Gratias
very cool
Doing some fishing on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
This real estate brochure was in a restaurant in Port Alberni.
Have a read. Population ~25,000.
justlistedalberni.ca
Shame about the Belfountain store (been there in the past and moving up that way end of this month, so more visits anticipated), but always happy to hear of a place being restored to its former glory.
I sincerely hope you shipped the wickets and other selected debris back to Toronto where it can be peddled to hipsters (to ironically decorate their soulless 2015-build condos) for quite ridiculous sums of cash.
Well, for one thing, a lot of blog postings will be coming earlier in the day…like this one.
Good time to sell. The price of vanilla just went into zombie apocalypse mode.
The buyer was dancer?
Obscure Hunter S. Thompson quote – ‘We’re raising a generation of dancers’.
https://youtu.be/9NK0rtySc6c?t=80
A couple of years ago I suggested you open your own bank Garth and you responded about naming it “Bandit Financial”. I still think it’s a good idea and a great name.
Looks cool. Hopefully we can see the finished product :)
Only trading cowboys like you lose money. – Garth
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You don’t know me or how well/badly I do in the markets, Garth so you’re just assUming things. Just because I view the financial markets as a “cash-cow” does NOT make me a cowboy! Like I’ve stated before, I’m a ‘pig’ (as Stanley Drukenmiller explains it).
I’ve studied the methods I use for over 10 years, and have been ‘mentored’ by someone who’s a multi-millionaire (+$20M), enriched from using those methods (not commissions from clients).
Glad you made money though, on Belfountain. But it sure sounded as if making money wasn’t the primary objective when you bought it. Whatever happened to the buy-and-hold strategy of a diversified/balanced portfolio?
BTW, is the new owner a speculator from China?
TCC
WTF is this? I come to this blog only to reinforce my bearish outlook for Canadian real estate. This should been a Sunday post at best Garth. Now I’ll need to get my doomer real estate fix from the comment section on here. For shame.
Humanoid robot runs through the park by itself
future amazon workers ;)
http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2018/05/11/boston-dynamics-atlas-spotmini-run-navigate-orig.cnnmoney/index.html
I predict there will be a lot of lobster in your future ;)
Sounds like the old Belfountain store is going to be the new ground level facade of a towering residential condo that will be promoted and sold to investors in mainland China.
Sensational:)
Congratulations Garth. It really is a great lifestyle to live in a big city, and have access to a quieter place to spend time. My wife and I motored through the Maritimes for two weeks and a weekend some years back. It was highlight after highlight but Lunenberg was a gem of a town, and a UNESCO world heritage site no less.
Great food, great people and one of the most picturesque towns on the planet. Best wishes for a successful renovation, with all the hassles on the journey it will be more than worth it in the end. Just be sure to build a wall to keep out the incomers.
Garth – congrats!
I’ve always loved the old bank buildings. It will make a great space.
My two cents on the vault… Wedding chapel! ;-)
#16
Actually the dirtiest oil in North America is not from the oil sands in Alberta, the dirtiest oil is produced from California! How’s that for irony?
Hottest & Coldest Luxury Housing Markets in the World
http://www.investmentwatchblog.com/hottest-coldest-luxury-housing-markets-in-the-world/
Congratulations Garth!
I have been reading your blog for a few years now. I have some thoughts and was wondering what you/readers think.
I want to sell my house and downsize and move to a less expensive area with universities close by as my kids will be attending them in a couple of years. I enjoy working part time and my husband would like to retire from his stressful job. We can manage this and retire at 55 but we still have the 10 years or so of putting kids thru school. I suggested to my husband that if he quit his job and we reduced our income that our kids would qualify for Osap the grants would pay for half the uni costs and they would qualify for loans. We have RESP saved and if we kept it until they were almost finished uni the investments interest alone would pay off their student loans. My husband thinks the idea is ok except that he thinks that the government at anytime could change the osap rules. What do you readers think? So close to retirement…lol
“SEA FEVER” AND OTHER ADVENTURES
My grandfather, on my mother’s side, was born in Lunenberg in the latter part of the 19th century.
As an adult he moved to Vancouver where he became a successful carpenter/contractor but was financially destroyed there by the Great Depression.
I’ve never been to Lunenberg, but it is an historical community for certain.
I don’t know what or how you feel about the ocean.
But I’ve sailed the Atlantic as a passenger a couple of times aboard ocean liners where one voyage was terrifying because of the hurricane our ship had to plough through. Plough through it did! Yikes.
Herewith, and as you relocate in part to the Atlantic Seaboard, I offer to you what I can only describe as an immortal poem of the sea penned about a century ago by the British Poet Laureate John Masefield, himself a mariner. He died in 1967 at the age of 88.
SEA FEVER
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sails shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
So, St. Garth of Steep Seas and Howling Gales, let’s hope you develop sea legs strong enough to be able to continue tracking the rolling and pitching of Canada’s waterlogged and listing-to-starboard real estate market.
It’s a Force 10 blow out there.
I came out of the woods to say…..love it. Great to see you preserving the past. Need more of it Garth. Looks like a nostalgic bar location too if you love the suds. lol
Cheers from the Hinterland
That house across the street needs more pink.
Is there a reason why the sidewalks have an orange hue?
Those guys that work for beer? Did they damage the sidewalk at all? I don’t know about their one sheet of plywood method. No damage? You got lucky.
Beautiful place. Congrats!
#Lede:GT’sNewBoutiqueToRivalVarsano’s?…
“He wears suits made by the Ghanaian-British Savile Row designer Ozwald Boateng over worn Italian loafers, and carries a weathered gray Louis Vuitton briefcase with a heavy metal clasp. His business card is milled from galvanized metal. By his estimate, the total value of sales he has brokered exceeds $4 billion…
…His groundbreaking storefront concept rested on a simple premise, which might be called, in contrast to the “foot traffic” that animates most retail, Bentley traffic…
…The store’s interior has been furnished as a gallery of sumptuous surfaces: panels of midnight blue velvet offset with enormous beveled mirrors; columns and floors in a storm-cloud-patterned marble; rectilinear sconces of a translucent black-veined marble; timbering of dark lacquered walnut and mahogany; side tables set with purple succulents in glimmering copper spheres and moon-white orchids. To the rear is a clubroom, supervised by a large photograph of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin on an aircraft’s staircase…”…
https://nyti.ms/2G7K892
I guess this means no meet up at the BGS
I guess there is always Smokey’s old house on James St in Shlongbranch.
“Good on you” Garth and Dorothy and Bandit ..!!!
My sense is that Lunenburg “feels like home” to you, as much as any place can. For the present future.
Cause like you say: once done, gone.
You are an inspiration to those who might hesitate, with creating a life that’s full of effort memories (always) and stories of success (sometimes).
Certainly nobody’d be wise to suggest your life-journey has, thus far, been boring. And why change now, right?
Like many, I’m gonna miss seeing you at the general store, but guess we now gotta go a little farther east.
So, “best wishes” on your latest venture..!! Just don’t ever, ever think about selling your luggage, okay?
#15 mike from mtl on 05.11.18 at 3:59 pm
Why did beemo have such a small safe? I guess that was a really small local branch. Most decently large banks have room sized ones. Around Montreal there’s been building conversions that simply left them in – forget moving literally tonnes of concrete, brick and metal.
Whilst not as grandiose as the ‘real’ one located here on St. James (St. Jacques), at least you KNOW it’s solid and worth owning those bricks. Cool and unique, I always like old commercial RE renovations.
That was the night deposit box, not the safe. It’s the size of an average moister condo. – Garth
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WHY did you get rid of it???????????
Great buy Garth
It’s a great spot in a nice place and I would gather you’ll turn it into a great income producing investment bought for a song
There are always bargains even in frothy markets
Best of luck with this
Can we visit [email protected]? (The Nice Lady at The Former Bank).
Congrats and well done, Turner.
Wood! Argh! Use steel studs! Too late!
Hit me up for free construction advice… wait, I should get my own blog…
Just got back from a week in Halifax – food, beer, waterfront, music, amazing history and a swanky new convention center, what a great vibe. There is a huge military fort in the middle of the town. Like, right there. How cool is that? Sad to come back to Ottawa. Ottawa’s nice. But it’s no Halifax :(
P.S. didn’t you mention this building a l o n g time ago?
Congratulations, Garth!
And a very wise decision on your part to sell off Belfountain before Emasculated Smoking Turd made another visit.
For sure just smelling his lingering presence there would have dropped any offers by $500K.
Now you’ve got that cash to spend on a new bike and Just For Men!
Nice!
Good timing on selling the General Store. The area was annoyingly crowded, as anywhere else in Toronto, not exactly what you’d want to drive for an hour from the city.
Nothing beats living by the sea and the sunset in Lunenburg looks much better than the Higher Ground parking lot – even with the HDs.
Don’t tell me those servers on the rack still have the bmo hard drives.
Brings to mind the adage: the best way to rob a bank is to own one! And you’ve already made off with the night deposit box ;-)
You’re an inspiration.
The South Shore of Nova Scotia is wonderful.
I was lucky and have lived in Mahone Bay.
Best of luck on the new place, and hope you and Dorothy, Bandit and the Amazons enjoy.
Well done Garth. This is you at your most inspirational.
Good on ya Garth.
We did the tour down there and I noticed a similar “keeper” in Wolfville for sale. The forgiveness angle was not going to work….my better half was right there. However, we both loved the place.
That’s a cool project Garth – If you are going to renovate a building make it a bank… they just don’t make them like that any more
If you’re building your own bank, what kinds of rates will you be charging for mortgages?
nice.
I’ve always wanted to buy an old bank… love the old vaults.
some day….
And I just noticed, Garth, that the ‘Belfountain General Store’ link on your site, is no longer.
(Sad sigh)
But I am impressed with the decision to project a much newer restoration .. from a 130 year-old store to a 111 year-old bank.
As a bldg so much newer, zee bank is likelier to have fewer and far less costly, hidden and ugly surprises.
(Sure)
Next time though, might I suggest a new “build” and not a new “rebuild”?
(Cheaper)
Nice! Impressive and fun at the same time.
@#25. #28
I’ve never really understood the premise of buildings made entirely of wood, do people want them to fall apart and need rebuilding every 50 years?
No, they want them insulated. Which wears out over time.
I’m from the UK (obviously) and there are plenty of houses still going strong from the 1600’s or even ….Stone/bricks have such great character too.
It doesn’t get to -30 in London. Amsterdam might get a frost once or twice in February. Where I live, it won’t go above zero for MONTHS. Water left outside at Christmas will freeze and stay frozen until March. Edmonton is the same.
North American houses are entirely characterless and boring.
They keep us alive, so there is that.
That is totally badass Garth. Love it how you blaze your own path. Always best to be the lead dog – the view is better.
Garth, been to Lunenburg a few times and absolutely love the town and the special vibe. One of my favourite pubs of all time “The knot pub” Fresh Steamed Mussels to die for.
Garth will be on the South shore in early October will drop in to say hello. Well done you are one of the few that follow their dreams ! good on you.
#68 James on 05.11.18 at 6:48 pm
Congratulations, Garth!
And a very wise decision on your part to sell off Belfountain before Emasculated Smoking Turd made another visit.
For sure just smelling his lingering presence there would have dropped any offers by $500K.
Now you’ve got that cash to spend on a new bike and Just For Men!
—
it wasn’t sm, it was me who was stoking him, last time i was there i keep low profile not making eye contact, but Mrs T. made me… She asked me “Are you Garth’s friend, yes i remember you.” frend, no friend i just know him a bit i sed, and i choked up a bit, in a manly kind of way… I would do same thing i was him, but ill be going back for sandwiches and icescreams. i don’t look forward driving to NS every so often.
james live sm alone
Congrats Garth! So where’d ya get your mortgage or did you drop straight cash for the place?
Wish you the best with the property Garth. Great to see a historic property being put to good use, hopefully for another 100 years!
“Apparently I thrive on chaos. And get bored fast.”
There may be openings in the Ford ON PC cabinet that will suit your disposition, Garth.
Congrats Garth…..best wishes on your new adventure!
It kinda clashes with the pink and yellow buildings in the background. Turquoise would be nice.
Lucky for that neighborhood …
Another beautiful old brick BMO branch in Vancouver at Main and Broadway that I pass by often got turned into a tacky Cash Payday Loan Money Mart ….
Is that it for the Toronto offices?
Nope. – Garth
You are truly one of the Last Mohicans in our country Garth. None of our young best want to be entrepreneurs today. They want public service jobs with big defined benefit pension plans supplemented by the overburdened taxpayer.
Our banks treat entrepreneurs like dogs. You already have to be a success before one of the big five treat you like a decent person. Read some of these blogs to see where these people need to go to get financing and the
rates they have to pay.
Social justice is the rage in this country. People here are all about court protection. Who owes me what?
Our governments pander to these voters and debt is their mantra and the people don’t have the resolve to stop the insanity.
The country is in free fall as good private sector jobs continue to disappear. As the housing market falters reality will set in. Venezuela is our destiny.
Trumps War Will Crash Markets.
Just saying.
All to get away from smoking man – congrats!!!
Cool!
#115 Bytor the Snow Dog from yesterday (and others)
As others have pointed out Canada has a lot of trees besides the 3 measly ones you have. I have probably 40 good size trees on my property (never counted them, but there are a lot) but no I will not get a tax credit for that.
However in the city if you want to cut one down there is now a $4,000 fee because they are of course environmentally important.
Canada is definitely guilty of clear cutting in the past, but for some time now the cut forests have to be replanted. Sure it takes 20 years for a replanted forest to be the carbon consuming behemoth it once was, but it comes back eventually.
CO2 is plant food. Without CO2 in the air all plants would die which means all life on the planet would die. This is never discussed in the debate. Instead CO2 is described as a poisonous pollutant. This is absolute balderdash, there must be CO2 in the air, the only question is how much and how fast it can increase.
And you and the other commenters are right, Canada is a net carbon sink because of all the forests and farmland too.
In years past carbon based fuels were responsible for a lot of nasty pollutants like SO2, NO, NO2, lead, etc. But that’s mostly been cleaned up. To throw CO2 in with that mix of nasties is just silly. It’s plant food! That’s how it got to be oil in the first place! Plants absorbed the CO2 and then got buried. Coal is trees folks! Highly polluted trees due to being buried, but trees none the less.
Greenhouses regularly “modify” the air inside to contain more CO2, because the plants grow faster and bigger. How they do this is pretty simple: heat with natural gas and divert part of the exhaust into the greenhouse. So obviously a little more CO2 isn’t hurting the plants, they like it.
It is true that if you raise the CO2 level high enough it can suffocate animals. But that’s because it crowds out the oxygen at say around 12%. But we aren’t talking percent, it isn’t even possible if we burn all the economically recoverable carbon on the earth, we are talking parts per million. A 1000 fold increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere isn’t going to kill anyone and the plants will be just as happy as a bug in a rug. The only question is will the planet be warmer and by how much.
One thing I have really grown to hate is how language can be turned into word salad so easily. Just put a bunch of words together and suddenly people think it’s true. “CO2 is a pollutant” is a great example. It’s not true, but people believe it. It’s a word salad. “CO2 is plant food” is true but now everyone is worried about it being a pollutant. Can it be both? Well I suppose it is possible to over-fertilize.
And this bullcrap has been going on for a long time. Years ago I used to buy “Magic School Bus” videos on VHS for my kids. They are grown now and I don’t think the VHS player works anymore but I might still have the tapes. Anyway, one episode was about photosynthesis and somehow they got through the whole episode without mentioning CO2 once. Instead, they always referred to it as “air”. As if there is really such a thing as “air” on the periodic table of elements. In fact, “air” is “By volume, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases. Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor, on average around 1% at sea level, and 0.4% over the entire atmosphere.” The plants ignore the nitrogen, expel the oxygen (that’s where it came from while plants were making all the oil and coal), couldn’t care less about the argon, but the CO2 is critical to them. They can’t live without it.
Anyways quite a diversion from Garth’s new project, but to me these idiotic carbon taxes are a much more pressing subject when it comes to financial planning than that. I mean good for him and I hope it works out well, but carbon taxes are going to be the final nail in the coffin for most of us. Most people are already under water at the end of every month. We simply can’t afford to have the HST doubled.
So Garth, the next question is, when will you be there (and will there be ice cream)? I’d get down there in a heartbeat.
Maybe some day I will be able to walk in and actually see my advisor on the other coast. Congrats … and I might also ask : will Dorothy be [email protected]?
Nice!
Restore one old building and then move on to the next restoration project.
A bank machine in the original entrance…..a well deserved demo.
I hear the Historical committee in Lunenburg can be a bit of a pain. Gets right down to the color of paint you are allowed to use……
How’s it been so far with the renos and historical regs?
Do they love you or your dog?
A few thoughts and another poem:
It isn’t better to ask forgiveness and not permission. It’s just easier.
I’ve been to your downtown Toronto offices, both of them. The traffic one endures to get there is horrendous. I’d rather drive to Lunenburg to your new office when it’s up and running than attempt Toronto on my own. And now this (and the last verse seems apt somehow):
The Old Grey Squirrel
A great while ago there was a schoolboy
who lived in a cottage by the sea,
And the very first thing he could remember
was the rigging of the schooners by the quay.
He could watch ’em from his bedroom window
with the big cranes a-hauling out the freight,
And he used to dream of shipping as a sea-cook
and a-sailing for the Golden Gate.
He used to buy the yellow penny dreadfuls,
he’d read ’em where he fished for conger eels,
As he listened to the slapping of the water
the green and oily water round the keels,
There were trawlers with their shark-mouthed flatfish
and the nets a-hanging out to dry,
And the skate the skipper kept because he liked ’em
and the landsmen never knew which ones to fry.
There were brigantines with timber out of Norway
just oozing with the syrups of the pine,
There were rusty dusty freighters out of Sunderland
and clippers of the Blue Cross Line.
To tumble down the hatch into a cabin
was better than the best of broken rules,
For the smell of ’em was like a Christmas dinner
and the feel of ’em was like a box of tools,
And before he went to sleep in the evenings
the last thing that he would ever see,
Was the sailormen a-dancing in the moonlight
by the capstan that stood beside the quay.
Now he’s sitting on a high-stool in London,
the Golden Gate is far away,
For they caught him like a squirrel and they caged him,
now he’s totting up accounts and turning grey,
And he’ll never get to San Francisco
and the last thing that he will ever see,
Is the sailormen a-dancing in the moonlight
by the capstan that stands beside the quay.
To the tune of the old concertina
by the capstan that stands beside the quay.
Alfred Noyes
Congrats, Garth! The old bank looks awesome.
Bummer that I didn’t get to visit the Belfountain before you sold. I’ll have to come by and say hello on our next trip to beautiful Lunenburg.
Love the maritimes. The missus and I just closed a deal on a beautiful plot of land out there for when we’re ready to escape southern Ontario. Until then, “serenity now!!”
All the best!
Sorry I slipped a decimal if my previous comment comes up. Should have been 100%.
Oh so I see it did. A 1000 times increase in CO2 would bring us to 40% which would clearly kill all oxygen breathing animals but a 100 fold increase would bring us to 4% CO2 which pretty much everything can survive as long as the planet doesn’t melt but more likely a 100% increase to 800 ppm would be tolerable depending on the effect on the temperature.
I stopped by the store again Wednesday and it was closed…again. My timing sucks. What happens to my unredeemed offer of free sprinkles? I’ll drive to Nova Scotia if I have to.
BTW, the new place looks cool as hell. Nice acquisition.
Remarkable! Congrats for your successful Bellfountain corner store and good luck with this new project!
Of course, my guys had to rip out a mess of bank wickets (now I know exactly where those panic buttons are located)-Thor Turner.
During my apprenticeship in Tasmania,we were renovating a bank at night and it was open every day.
We were there for a few weeks and one of the guys I was working with shouted out at 2 am in the morning ” Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if I pressed this button and all the alarms came on.”
He pressed the button located under the desk of one of the wickets.
The alarms came on.
Shutters came down.
Cops came, weapons drawn.
I was only 17 at the time but I still remember the takeaway from that experience.
Never trust a redhead…
M43BC
Unfortunate the Belfountain is no more. Anyone who thinks that Lorna and the Girls will survive this change is smoking some pretty sweet stuff. Look for that little universe to go the way of the frog pond when faced with the bulldozer.
Interesting bank. Maybe go condo? Those foundations could easily hold a tower. Prob way better than the steel poles driven into the ground method that is all the vogue in Toronto.
I still own every building I’ve ever bought save one. Off loaded a townhouse in Barrie at peak RE when it was clear I’d never get more for it.
At any rate best wishes to the Belfountain. If a year from now it get a bulldozed and replaced with a gas station don’t say I didn’t TYS
A lovely building well done to preserve our heritage. Good luck on this venture Garth.
Nice place, Garth. I’m sure you’ll score another hat trick. Maybe you can keep a Harley in the foyer?
—
I read that Ray Dalio is shorting the US stock market. He must be worried about the U.S. bond market signals.
Did you open it with a couple crowbars and jack hammers before throwing it away?
Just a bunch of useless gold bars. – Garth
You are hereby ordered to place an accent on top of the “e” in Montreal. You are ordered to pronounce Montreal as Mon-ryal, as the “t” is silent.
-Unofficial officer of Quebec Language Police
Crap, I just bought plane tickets for the blog dog reunion.. WTF?
Smoker dude is too drunk to make it to loonieberg
Somehow, Tiger Tail ice cream will never taste the same.
Pink Pollen falling in Vancouver.
As one poster noted the other day ,zolo have decided they don’t like to lose and have taken their bat and ball and gone home.
In other words they no longer want to put up price reductions.
It used to help draw my attention to a house and in some cases it would come back up all shiny and new and I would look at D.o.m.
This house was on the market for 3.29
Now they are asking 3.12 and are on the hook for 3.21.
I don’t shirk a challenge.
Let’s play hardball…
M43BC
3821 w 22nd ave,Vancouver . Paid 3.21 April 2016 ass 3.16
On 3.29
https://www.zolo.ca/vancouver-real-estate/3821-w-22nd-avenue
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDAwMEhCUA==
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Feel free to make a donation.
Flop For Fox Fund…
http://www.terryfox.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/
Congrats on your new adventure Gartho!
Pink Pollen falling in Delta.
I guess I will grab a mop and bucket and clean up Zolo’s mess for them.
I will do a trilogy post to save time and space for Thor Turner.
The reductions are fairly insignificant.
The practice of turning Canadians upside down until the last dollar rolls onto the floor is not…
M43BC
Now asking 935k
4552 47a St,Delta paid 894k April 2016 ass925
Oct 16:$968,888
Apr 18: $959,900
Change: – 8988.00 -1%
https://www.zolo.ca/delta-real-estate/4552-47a-street
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDA1VlZMMA==
/////////////////
Now asking 914k
___________________________________________
176 gary smith on 01.18.18 at 1:11 am
And another about to flop in Delta-Scottsdale.
Purchased in April 2016 for 920,000
Listed (“updates!!”) for 938,800
https://www.zolo.ca/delta-real-estate/7333-113-street
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDA1VkZENg==
/////////////////////////
These guys only took 2k off because their turkey is already cooked.
Back on for 1.17
Paid 1.19 February 2016
Whipster
For those about to flop….some more data from tsawwassen
1424 54 street delta bc….
Sold for 1.190 million in 2016 feb 15; now listed for 1.198 million .
Assessed at 1.125900million.
https://www.zolo.ca/delta-real-estate/1424-54-street
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDA1Vk4xTQ==
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Feel free to make a donation.
Flop For Fox Fund…
http://www.terryfox.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/
I assume you got a loan with a special rate from beemo?
Hi Garth,
Best wishes with your new renown/office project!
FYI: If you need to add a fire door exit in the back of the back vault?
‘Breaking Concrete With The Micro-Blaster II
Creating a doorway through a 20‑inch thick vault wall.
7:07 Minutes by Ezebreak’
https://www.ezebreak.com/videos/
http://www.microblastercanada.ca/
1 Frustrated Kiwi on 05.11.18 at 3:12 pm
“Frankly, you are an inspiration. There should be more Garth Turners in the world. Well done and good luck on this new project!”
Well said, my thoughts exactly.
All the best Garth with your new venture. I really don’t know where you find the time to run your financial business, this blog and pursue a new ventures like this in Nova Scotia.
You really are a decent person willing to share his knowledge with others and do your best to make a significant positive difference in this world.
Thank You
I notice the bars on the basement…..is that where the bad blog dogs get to take a “time out” when they visit you :P
That’s awesome Garth.
I love this kind of historical building.
Can’t wait to see the progress.
Commercial real estate ain’t cheap in Nova Scotia.
Enjoy Flop.
3100 1.87, 1540 1.11, 807 1.51, 2891 1.308, 1285 1.25
I haven’t had a good laugh here in a while.
“Just a bunch of useless gold bars.”
BOOM!
Gosh,
But in one of the sidebar photographs I see an old Boat!
That is how it begins, a little sidebar pic, then bam, Hey Dogs, Bank is done and gone, I got me an old ship……
Advice from a former bank building owner. Get someone to show you how to unlock the vault from the inside. You may never need that info…but you just might. If someone robs the place they will probably lock you in there so they can get away easy.
Congratulations and best wishes!
Here is one out in Tsawwassen for you to watch Flop.
They paid $1.6m 9 months ago, $365k over assessment
Just listed it for $2M looking for a investor/developer
https://www.realtor.ca/Residential/Single-Family/19419995/1236-55-STREET-Delta-British-Columbia-V4M3K3
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDA1Vk5FWg==
Those BOM servers would be perfect for mining crypto! You have a gold mine there!
Thank you for rescuing these old buildings!
Bandit Financial is an awesome name! I would open an account.
Pink Pollen falling in Burnaby.
It has probably dawned on these guys by now that there will be no profit to be had on this flip.
Paid 1.9 ,asking 1.89,only assessed at 1.65
Zolo doesn’t want you to know that they just took another 100k off.
Zolo you can trust me.
To celebrate Mother’s Day ,I won’t tell anyone.
Mum’s the word…
M43BC
4891 Mckee Place, Burnaby paid 1.9 May 2016 ass1.65
Nov 17:$2,168,000
Feb 9: $1,997,000
Change: – 171000.00 -8%
4891 Mckee Place, Burnaby
Nov 17:$2,168,000
May 10: $1,890,000
Change: – 278000.00 -13%
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDAzV0YzRg==
https://www.zolo.ca/burnaby-real-estate/4891-mckee-place
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Feel free to make a donation.
Flop For Fox Fund…
http://www.terryfox.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/
#101 Nonplused on 05.11.18 at 8:07 pm
… a 100 fold increase would bring us to 4% CO2 which pretty much everything can survive…
—-
I’m all for non-hysterical, fact-based approaches to the environment, but you don’t do the cause much good by randomly guessing about things and presenting them as facts. 4% CO2 is the concentration in human exhalation, and if you tried to breathe that for any length of time, you would be in acute distress (grab a plastic bag and try it). Starting at around 7% it can cause death pretty rapidly but long-term exposure causes problems at much lower levels. The occupational safety limit is 0.5%, which produces significant blood chemistry changes in days. Cognitive decline is found at 0.1%. Bodies are delicately balanced things and you cannot just make a 100 fold increase in the partial pressure one of the two keys gasses for life without impact.
If you want the conversation to be about science, make sure you have it right.
Super cool digs. I love old brick and mortar……
Hey Gravy Train.
Do you want to know who the real John Galt is?
Just ask nicely. If I’m in the mood I’ll tell you. Hint.
Wasn’t born on earth. You will need to give up your email and ill send you the document.
Or click on may name up top. Some where in there is a clue.
Congrats to you, and thank-you for all the wonderful things you do !
#94 Nonplused on 05.11.18 at 7:45 pm
Yeah, CO2 is plant food, and it helps them grow, but are we setting aside any more space for them to grow into?
It’s not just that humans have removed half of the earth’s trees, but that we replaced them with agriculture that doesn’t do the same job.
https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/
I’m not suggesting that the carbon tax is the answer, but increasing levels of CO2 certainly isn’t a good thing.
Pink Pollen falling in Burnaby.
It has probably dawned on these guys by now that there will be no profit to be had on this flip.
Paid 1.9 ,asking 1.89,only assessed at 1.65
Zolo doesn’t want you to know that they just took another 100k off.
To celebrate Mother’s Day ,I won’t tell anyone.
Mum’s the word…
M43BC
4891 Mckee Place, Burnaby paid 1.9 May 2016 ass1.65
Nov 17:$2,168,000
Feb 9: $1,997,000
Change: – 171000.00 -8%
4891 Mckee Place, Burnaby
Nov 17:$2,168,000
May 10: $1,890,000
Change: – 278000.00 -13%
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDAzV0YzRg==
https://www.zolo.ca/burnaby-real-estate/4891-mckee-place
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Feel free to make a donation.
Flop For Fox Fund…
http://www.terryfox.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/
GT.
Stimulating local economies 1 brick, clapboard and/or ice cream cone at a time.
You never cease to amaze and reinvent.
Nice.
Well it’s good to know that someone who was born at the right time is taking advantage of it.
Bravo, Garth.
As the owner of a 115 year old rental house, complete with all original millwork and doors with original finish, original carved staircase, and original hardwood floors, I am envious. My place does not have a vault, but it does have its original plaster, which I swear is really steel.
Vancouver Brit, perhaps you think Canadian houses have no character because you’re in Vancouver. Head east, full of old charmers.
DELETED
Congrats on a successful revitalization of the belfountain store. It’s a shame I didn’t get to stop by yet. Hope this project goes great, best of luck!
Garth,
If you don’t mind me asking, is the plan to spend your summers in NS?
Cheers,
Split time as necessary. Just two hours in the air to the Big Smoke. – Garth
Congrats Garth on the new venture and for restoring another historic relic! Have to make the trek to Lunenburg now. I propose an annual blog dog convention in lovely Nova Scotia…
Hello Garth,
Congratulations on your new project. You are an inspiration to many.
Wishing both you and the new owner of the Belfountain store all the best on your new purchases !!!!!!
Niagara region real estate stats for April
https://www.niagararealtor.ca/sites/default/files/April%202018%20Stats.pdf
Garth
Stay Crazy.
RK
Dammit! That’ll burn a lot of premium to get the Challenger to Lunenburg.
I use my Black Hawk. – Garth
#121 Dirty SHYSTER on 05.11.18 at 10:30pm
Enjoy Flop.
3100 1.87, 1540 1.11, 807 1.51, 2891 1.308, 1285 1.25
////////////////////////////////
Hey Dirty,let’s try and put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
3100 Blundell Rd,Richmond Paid 1.77 January 2017 ass1.59 asking 1.99
Paid 1.77
Sold 1.87
Result,Pink Draw.
1540 STEVENS ST WHITE ROCK paid 1.04 ass1.02 asking 1.19
Paid 1.04
Sold 1.11
Result ,Pink Draw
807 Fowler Court, Coquitlam paid 1.41 April 2016 ass1.35 asking 1.56
Paid 1.41
Sold 1.51
Result,Pink Draw
2891 Pandora Street, Vancouver paid 1.39 asking 1.39
Paid 1.39
Sold 1.30
This is another example of what I have been trying to tell people on here about Vancouver detached,it is not just the people up the top of the tree losing money.
These guys couldn’t turn a profit despite on being on the second rung of the Vancouver ladder.
Result,Pink Snow
Probably a 180k mistake
1285 Sherman Street, Coquitlam paid 1.08 May 2017 ass 1.12 asking 998
Paid 1.08
Sold 1.25
These guys after expenses probably made around 100k if they didn’t go crazy with extra-curricula activities.
Result, Green Snow
So by coincidence Burnaby Renter helped me show the bigger losses the other day, but if someone spends the time I will try to follow through.
Dirty Shyster,thanks for doing this and helping me provide a more timely service to the citizens of Vancouver who are curious to see what is going on through the media blackout…
M43BC
Be careful with the day care idea. My niece runs a very large daycare in Hamilton Ontario. The govt of the day introduced legislation giving two paid sick days off a month. Which means she has to pay the people who are off PLUS pay for two people to replace them. She is thinking of just going bankrupt or making it a non profit.
Who needs employees when you have a vault with a cage door? – Garth
#54 Planning for Financial Independence on 05.11.18 at 6:12 pm
////////////
Awesome idea!
Did you sell the belfountaine store cause minimum wage went up?
Of course not. BTW, how is this any of your business? – Garth
Ahh, granite and copper, back when things were built to last.
A couple of decades ago, I was part of a crew working on a local RBC renovation. Part of the job was busting out the vault. 3 guys with pneumatic jackhammers going at it non stop for days removing the concrete. The noise was deafening, and the cloud of dust so thick, you could barely see 6 feet through it. The scene of carnage was really quite intense, like we’re all working in the bowels of the mines of Moria.
That old building is cool as heck, and those granite walls will still be standing there 1000’s of years from now if on a solid foundation (looks close to water, might even be sitting on bedrock) and left alone. Nothing like millions of years old igneous rock for a solid building material :).
I’m formulating a theory for the stock market since 2009 in America. I’ve noticed the ultimate goal of the FED and central bankers seems to be to fleece every hedge fund. The only time all the hedge funds went long was January 2018 and the market fell. Wednesday May 9, 2018 Bridgewater a big hedge fund went short and also told all their clients to go short the market. The DOW went straight up and will probably go up Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week to fleece Bridgewater. So when playing the stock market it might pay to watch what the hedge funds all do and then do the opposite. The DOW looks destined to hit 25,350 by this Wednesday at the latest.
Thank you Garth for saving pieces of Canadian architectural history one piece at a time. I wish there were more like you!
Congrats Garth. You are a great example of what to do with some wealth. Buy things, restore them, and if possible create jobs.
Garth,
If you don’t mind me asking, is the plan to spend your summers in NS?
Cheers,
Split time as necessary. Just two hours in the air to the Big Smoke. – Garth
******
As you spend more time in NS, I’m anticipating that it will get harder to leave. All good. Enjoy!
Garth, are you so naïve as to think that changing jurisdictions to Nova Scotia will protect you from legal action? My legal team can operate anywhere in your country.
Still waiting for my $130,000. Tick, tock……
(I’m sure the Lunenburg Enquirer would be very interested in learning about you, me and Bandit.)
@#104 Floppie
“Cops came, weapons drawn….”
++++++
A friend of mine who is an electrical contractor was hired to remove/ upgrade all the rusty electrical conduit in the Park Royal Mall parkade in West Van.
The job involved working at night after it closed.
Was gonna take several weeks in sections. Block off 50 stalls , set up scaffolding, turn the power off to the lights, remove the lights, chip out the conduit, replace, etc.
Dark, dusty, unbelievably loud jackhammering.
All went well for about a week.
Until we were working directly beneath the Bank vault… jackhammers set off the “vibration” alarms.
We’re oblivious to it all the commotion until we stopped about 30 minutes later.
Turned around and there are 4 cops pointing shotguns at us……..yelling for us to get on the ground…..as we’re standing up on 10 ft of scaffold…… if we laid down they wouldn’t be able to see us…….. not the best and brightest in West Van…….
The bank manager forgot to let his alarm company know we were working under his vault that night even when we had reminded him earlier in the day.
.Yep. been there done that. Not fun.
#153 Tony on 05.12.18 at 10:56 am
Your hypothesis on the Fed having it in for Hedge funds seems a bit far-fetched to me. I think the poor performance of Hedge funds can be much more easily explained by their insistence on trying to time markets.. never a good idea to begin with. Why people invest in these things is to me one of life’s great mysteries.
just a suggestion….how about a recording studio for local musicians? that ex vault cant have much outside noise pollution …so to speak.
It’s a 111-year-old pile of grey granite with a copper dome on the top
in Lunenburg Nova Scotia. Here’s another view:
https://www.lighthousenow.ca/article.php?title=BMO_shutting_down_Lunenburg_branch
My theory is that there is no geography now. Jump on a plane and be anywhere. Well not quite:
It’s an hour and 21 minutes to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport
there’s no natural gas in Lunenburg – I guess you heat with oil like everybody else
but there is internet:
https://www.findinternet.ca/en/lunenburg-nova-scotia?serviceType=internet-fiber
Congrats Garth!
You keep on leading the way. And you leave prosperity & knowledge in your wake. Nice!
Chipping away at the housing mania brick at a time.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/love-it-or-list-it-vancouver-1.4659791
Couple sues Love it or List it Vancouver showmakers, claims contractor was actor
North Vancouver pair claims ‘defects’ in reno pose a ‘substantial’ danger to their family
Rhianna Schmunk · CBC News · Posted: May 12, 2018 5:00 AM PT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
Many old banks in Dublin have been repurposed as pubs and eateries….
Banks will lower rates if mafia which rules this criminal enterprise decide so. Buy as all criminals do and you will be on the top of the case. This bedlam is safe haven for all the wrongs in this world. And is now in the faze of chaos. Everything is commodity. Your life, your kids, your wife vagina… When marijuana high driver kills your kid just think how much money you made on marijuana stocks.. It will help you.
Congratulations Garth and family! Wish you all the best!
Welcome to the neighbourhood! :)
So you want to be a blue noser just like me hey Garth?
I was born to it in 1960 up north in Middleton.
You will have to try some of the local delicacies like pickled sea snails, Annapolis valley hard apple cider and dried haddock. You may have to travel around the province to find them.
Garth,
When is the Lunenburg branch’s job fair? Good luck and thanks for the great blogging!
Bandit on the job! Love it!!
Congratulations and Welcome to Nova Scotia!
OMG. If this BMO is in Pictou I was looking at this property a couple of years back as a possible BnB + Restaurant. Good on you!