But Mahmoud was swayed by the landlord’s appeal. “He said, ‘I think you’re the only guy in the city who can do it right now,'” says Mahmoud, who adds that he sunk “a lot of money” into this multi-level fixer-upper.
Visions of profits aside, Mahmoud says he had multiple reasons to open Berlin, along with two new downstairs venues, Krüsch Cocktail Bar and Underground.Article content The ByWard Market itself is in need of revitalization in light of the recent and impending closures of some veteran businesses, Mahmoud further asserts.Article content
“Mercury was a not-for-profit business that I kept rolling past 20 years to keep things interesting in Ottawa and to have a framework for people to communicate,” Criswick wrote then. Above Criswick’s message was a photo of him hauling out on his shoulder the lounge’s disco ball, which he wanted to sell for the best reasonable offer.Article content