In mid January 2017, after a deal I had in place to sell The Carleton fell through at the very last minute, a CBC-TV reporter asked me if there was any chance I’d find a buyer at that 11th hour. I thought for a second and then asked if she’d ever seen Dumb & Dumber. She nodded and I said, remember the scene where Jim Carrey’s character is trying to get a date with Lauren Holly’s character and he asks her what the odds are that she’d agree to go out with him? Another nod. Lauren answers, “about a million to one” and Jim’s response is, “so there’s a chance!!!”
That’s about how I felt.
Miraculously, over the next couple of days, another buyer did emerge and and this one wants to keep The Carleton as a live music venue with me still involved in it. That is news I wouldn’t have expected in three lifetimes but I’m sure going to take it. The deal will close at the end of March and then we’ll be working hard to improve every aspect of the club to position it well as a bar, as a restaurant and, yes, as a place for live entertainment. I’ll keep you posted on how everything is coming along but in the meantime, please know we’re still open and do drop in to see us!
Mike Campbell