tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13078137302957000722024-03-18T20:34:30.856-07:00Storefront VancouverJohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-66810070226454375732021-03-24T09:57:00.014-07:002021-03-24T19:26:06.314-07:00Beckwoman's on the Drive<p style="text-align: center;">Beckwoman's had been an institution on Commercial Drive for many decades. It was probably one of the older businesses on the Drive too until it closed in 2020. According to blogger<a href="https://jaksview3.wordpress.com/category/grandview-the-drive/history-and-heritage/changes-monthly-series/" target="_blank"> Jak King</a> who writes about the Grandview neighbourhood and The Drive, the store originally opened across the street from its last location way back in 1981. Then it moved to 1314 Commercial Drive in 1989.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Over the years the Store went by a few different names including Beckwoman's Folk Art and Beckwoman's Hippie Emporium. If a normal retail shopping experience was what you were looking for then Beckwoman's would certainly not have been it. After Googling the store years ago I found some interesting reviews that people had posted on Yelp. Many were not very positive and most were downright scathing! Shopping at Beckwoman's sounded like it could be a bit of an adventure. Apparently the store owner would often accost potential shoppers by demanding to know what they were looking for before even being allowed inside! Not a recipe for retail success in this day and age. You can read more of the store's Yelp reviews <a href="https://www.yelp.ca/biz/beckwomans-folk-art-vancouver" target="_blank">here!</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5WdXNHjec9L0HpTQVqDTGdKXvEQsvH5V0xSDkly4vsJhZpYnX1MtHNZyIDcKo-0MhkVm06mmEN7gYkp3My5-MF5ADvm-ZVwdad0L-JS-0-WKciLn9P_VxX4cA49cAqjAUjvl98KwTMs/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="750" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5WdXNHjec9L0HpTQVqDTGdKXvEQsvH5V0xSDkly4vsJhZpYnX1MtHNZyIDcKo-0MhkVm06mmEN7gYkp3My5-MF5ADvm-ZVwdad0L-JS-0-WKciLn9P_VxX4cA49cAqjAUjvl98KwTMs/w640-h458/Beck-IMG_1698_DxO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I remember that back in 2015 there had been a fire in the store which had closed it for quite some time. I believe the store owner had actually been living in the back of the place as well. That got me thinking that I better get around to photographing the store while it was still around. The photo above was taken back in early 2018. Fast forward to 2020 and the Covid-19 Global Pandemic has been hard on many businesses both large and small. Sadly Beckwoman's on the Drive was one of its casualties. Later in the year the store would be thoroughly renovated and a women's fashion boutique called Rave On now calls the space home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5nowI8kFPxKW90fko7qt-J0CFiUADCA17vVTcWtuq0tSR9wwANft_7tW72tJAvfJVFNaGWYhWZD6-HFgQ3nQVWjT6UoAV22AHcQQPRDqcL-umIs8RYOyCNn0WdQ9lbBHq5HimQ673Pw/s750/IMG_9944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="750" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5nowI8kFPxKW90fko7qt-J0CFiUADCA17vVTcWtuq0tSR9wwANft_7tW72tJAvfJVFNaGWYhWZD6-HFgQ3nQVWjT6UoAV22AHcQQPRDqcL-umIs8RYOyCNn0WdQ9lbBHq5HimQ673Pw/w400-h286/IMG_9944.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The removal of the big Beckwoman's awning revealed a little Spanish tile roof which can be seen in an old photo from the Vancouver Archives (CVA 786-78.19) which was taken back in 1978 when the store was a Shoe Hospital. It's amazing that the store today looks nearly identical to how it looked over 40 years ago!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjANNHHdKMthL_BCgpdzahsMcLHKqQUpHgK0nIA0BQ90nchJEGxBZIrjRPM5qCYZyLvL4r8Vo4eA0Qqm377XSdDTH-dFPdTUIldJxtbqS5hb4fk85JWvFsISwrnX_EKdjjmzp-V3APmm8/s750/1314+Comm-78.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="750" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjANNHHdKMthL_BCgpdzahsMcLHKqQUpHgK0nIA0BQ90nchJEGxBZIrjRPM5qCYZyLvL4r8Vo4eA0Qqm377XSdDTH-dFPdTUIldJxtbqS5hb4fk85JWvFsISwrnX_EKdjjmzp-V3APmm8/w400-h286/1314+Comm-78.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p>JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-57929589290564146762020-01-16T10:08:00.003-08:002020-01-16T10:37:45.401-08:00Bill's Glass<div style="text-align: center;">
Bill's Glass was probably one of the oldest businesses on Main Street since they started out way back in 1977. So in 2019 that made them 42 years old. The picture I took of their shop back in late 2014 shows the storefront as I like to remember it. A little bit old and funky with the hand painted signage and the guitars in the window which were of course made of glass! This one photograph was the impetus for me to start photographing more storefronts around the neighbourhood and the across the city as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGNuorTnmcQ18k2iRzxySJHZZr2jqN18SAXrddleUXVdsofqX6E0d6SaSYhbqHgJaV4KLuoBQMahgc57iMS4B0u6Q3OiJxFm6HfGlR2HyfjdvTKYZ810XLeR6H7SlUyA1olHfxt9h2WNk/s1600/DSCN9683.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGNuorTnmcQ18k2iRzxySJHZZr2jqN18SAXrddleUXVdsofqX6E0d6SaSYhbqHgJaV4KLuoBQMahgc57iMS4B0u6Q3OiJxFm6HfGlR2HyfjdvTKYZ810XLeR6H7SlUyA1olHfxt9h2WNk/s640/DSCN9683.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since 2014 much has changed on Main Street and all over Mount Pleasant. When a big real estate developer calls the area where you live "the hottest neighbourhood in Vancouver" you know changes will be on the way. Of course depending on what you do this could be a blessing or a curse. For many businesses the changes in the neighbourhood mean higher taxes and rents. So in 2017 Bill's updated their storefront with a more modern look. As the area seemed to be upscaling they finally decided to change with the times.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEt1SXz1uH3AlH2R7spz33BxS2COAti9gzapTBUWwb3-VCBH5mgZYl7J-qUxQ4YnAXpGvV-92K6N9O3M39CgIgFFaS095Mab7S2Qr_BcJ2RSvAH22NOySGVrmltk_IlgDqPpxRKilOGQ/s1600/Biils-DSCN5988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEt1SXz1uH3AlH2R7spz33BxS2COAti9gzapTBUWwb3-VCBH5mgZYl7J-qUxQ4YnAXpGvV-92K6N9O3M39CgIgFFaS095Mab7S2Qr_BcJ2RSvAH22NOySGVrmltk_IlgDqPpxRKilOGQ/s400/Biils-DSCN5988.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But at the end of July in 2019 Bill's suddenly closed up shop. The business is still going but a sign in the window said they were closing their retail store as they were overworked and under staffed. They even retired their main phone number as well suggesting the best way to contact them was through email. I'm sure there's more to the story as there have been many sudden business closures in Mount Pleasant throughout 2019.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bg60SPVBexyG1LZd619cHXdriUMGEj0GFkYt_1uMRsKqyTTFl7RqBpKWwNMqUpkq1gVtXjFbYicWas1mb-LGuxu7Z4PCb-lI5lhxHqKCGKkTf-J4KdufbFRVSTGLJI9kBOG3PjLin1w9/s1600/DSCN2657.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bg60SPVBexyG1LZd619cHXdriUMGEj0GFkYt_1uMRsKqyTTFl7RqBpKWwNMqUpkq1gVtXjFbYicWas1mb-LGuxu7Z4PCb-lI5lhxHqKCGKkTf-J4KdufbFRVSTGLJI9kBOG3PjLin1w9/s320/DSCN2657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some other casualties in 2019 included Don't Argue Pizza (sold to new owners), Kea Foods, Kam's Bakery and Restaurant, as well as the Nice Cafe on East 8th. I'm sure skyrocketing taxes are most likely to blame. Kea Foods reportedly had to pay $50,000.00 in City taxes last year. That's pretty tough for small business owners who are probably stretched just trying to make a go of things.</div>
JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-68194138745568154962019-12-04T09:54:00.000-08:002019-12-07T16:29:47.628-08:00A-1 Cycle on Main Street<div style="text-align: center;">
What can you say about A-1 Cycle? It was truly a Main Street institution. From what I've been able to figure out the shop had been around at 3743 Main Street since the 1980's. With its old school storefront the business was unpretentious both inside and out. Kind of unusual when bike shops have become a hip kind of deal. Here's a photo of the storefront taken in the fall of 2017.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKQpmfHMZjaI4qsg0DJxG1j28xQocGGqCQc5J7ycsggwZ11caRni4QNu0Em4sa351qHHiMatnEh38ZOHmNm3LkSMyBOe58Nq6ddIrzM9cIOd9fHdwzaEEhHcgAyeXmdtbpJXfo0LCh38/s1600/IMG_9973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKQpmfHMZjaI4qsg0DJxG1j28xQocGGqCQc5J7ycsggwZ11caRni4QNu0Em4sa351qHHiMatnEh38ZOHmNm3LkSMyBOe58Nq6ddIrzM9cIOd9fHdwzaEEhHcgAyeXmdtbpJXfo0LCh38/s640/IMG_9973.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The shop was run by a father and son team. John Quon and his son Rob. The Vancouver Sun did a story about the shop back in 2016. Check out the piece <a href="https://vancouversun.com/business/local-business/the-cycle-of-life-turns-smoothly-at-john-quons-vancouver-bike-shop" target="_blank">here</a>. At that time the elder Mr.Quon was 85 years old and seemed to be showing no signs of slowing down. But a recent walk up Main Street revealed the shop has closed up and all the windows are covered from the inside. Times are changing on Main Street and maybe Mr.Quon decided to ride into the sunset so to speak and enjoy some retirement. The bike business seems to be very competitive and I'm sure with City taxes profits might have been getting slim. But the store's closing is just one of many on Main Street in 2019 where a long established business suddenly shutters its operations. Other closures further North on Main Street include Bill's Glass, Kea Foods, Kam's Bakery and Restaurant, and the Nice Cafe in the heart of Mount Pleasant. Here's a shot of the empty storefront in Decemeber of 2019.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M4ggKrPcKhyyTWoUAkNIzw3xH97Gz_Eoelw1FMnFCzI5ggeun7whzXJ-3ZB7n6ACB9edXKPlsbci6p1idfHUO3MhiDL4_ASY7gXcq7h3p-RM7vchsH3VsRIFtIQFCS1UNAyaM5l7JNM/s1600/DSCN3327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M4ggKrPcKhyyTWoUAkNIzw3xH97Gz_Eoelw1FMnFCzI5ggeun7whzXJ-3ZB7n6ACB9edXKPlsbci6p1idfHUO3MhiDL4_ASY7gXcq7h3p-RM7vchsH3VsRIFtIQFCS1UNAyaM5l7JNM/s400/DSCN3327.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Whatever business takes over A-1's old space I'm sure it will be a bit more upscale (ie paying more rent) to fit in with the boutiques, cafe's, and eateries that make up today's Main Street.</div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-25427714853974921072019-05-09T11:47:00.002-07:002019-05-09T12:24:41.221-07:00Kea Foods on Main Street<div style="text-align: center;">
Kea Foods was one of those unassuming stores that seems like it had always been part of the neighbourhood. One of those places that's always just there. So familiar in fact that I actually have very few photographs of the place at Main and East 10th. It was probably one of the oldest independent businesses in Mount Pleasant that had been going for 25 years! But that all came to an abrupt end at the beginning of May when the store suddenly closed its doors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc911RbVI1LKCgZZxsuGnlmjGfU8ttfcI12iUtE2Be8MgCRWxH0bb4iY8mzlSsh5dlEGkyJ-nMWEKbTvBzuSGJhGGfepIiu75yXpxtY3_doBGvNwDNxQBLs0D4RgVtxfjvhBG_IiB4ezQ/s1600/DSCN3258.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc911RbVI1LKCgZZxsuGnlmjGfU8ttfcI12iUtE2Be8MgCRWxH0bb4iY8mzlSsh5dlEGkyJ-nMWEKbTvBzuSGJhGGfepIiu75yXpxtY3_doBGvNwDNxQBLs0D4RgVtxfjvhBG_IiB4ezQ/s640/DSCN3258.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The store's closure is probably yet another case of the fact that in Vancouver businesses pay a much higher rate of tax than residential owners. Over the last few years land values have been skyrocketing in Mount Pleasant and there has been quite a turnover of small businesses around the neighbourhood. If you take into consideration triple net leases where taxes on the property are passed onto tenants it's no surprise that many small shops just can't make a go of it. With Kea Foods their tax bill to the City in 2018 was in the order of $60,000.00 according to a <a href="https://bc.ctvnews.ca/property-taxes-city-staff-advise-against-2-shift-from-businesses-to-homeowners-1.4397773" target="_blank">report by CTV News</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8EVDv9aVDeINyl3xqwVdW4qxelM59FjcElbN0ObJBk7u-KhT9VGmzB0Npb0G8fzqfGhNdpDViOHVB698GeD_ofVvwILoyUHyF3ME6HJWuWHRb9ayl28zv_fPi0dHsW4xAK_dwsrWCBU/s1600/DSCN1952.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8EVDv9aVDeINyl3xqwVdW4qxelM59FjcElbN0ObJBk7u-KhT9VGmzB0Npb0G8fzqfGhNdpDViOHVB698GeD_ofVvwILoyUHyF3ME6HJWuWHRb9ayl28zv_fPi0dHsW4xAK_dwsrWCBU/s400/DSCN1952.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But I don't think taxes were Kea Foods only problem. I stopped shopping there years ago as I noticed much of their produce was pretty poor quality. I saw too many wilted lettuces, sagging carrots, and sad looking celeries. Plus the inside of the store just looked plain grubby. Recently I checked on Yelp and the reviews of the store were not kind! Many complained of outdated products being sold as well as goods that were obviously stale. Not to mention surly staff!</div>
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In many ways Kea Foods doesn't fit the narrative for today's Mount Pleasant (and Main Street). With all the upscaling going on in the neighbourhood a slightly rough around the edges organic-bulk foods-produce shop would be more at home on East Hastings Street or maybe Victoria Drive. Compared to some of the newer businesses in the neighbourhood you could say that Kea was in desperate need of an update! If you look back 5 years or so there were plenty more funky little shops around. Before Denman Bikes moved in just across the street Royal Furniture had occupied that space for decades. But it had devolved into a bit of a junk store before it finally closed in 2014. Down on Broadway the VGH Thrift store as well as Reno's Restaurant are another couple of examples of the "old" Mount Pleasant that are now gone.</div>
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So what does the future hold for 2600 Main Street? Only time will tell but I'm guessing the building will need a considerable makeover before someone else takes it over.</div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-87492560131946543122018-04-26T10:31:00.000-07:002018-04-26T10:31:47.829-07:00The Big Cover-up - Part Two<div style="text-align: center;">
So in my <a href="http://storefrontvancouver.blogspot.ca/2018/04/the-big-cover-up-part-one.html" target="_blank">earlier post</a> we found that covering up old storefronts and building facades became "the thing to do" starting in the 1950's. Finding old photos of downtown Vancouver during this period has proven a bit difficult. But the Vancouver Archives has another great image of the 400 block of West Hastings Street taken back in 1974 (CVA 718-144). This picture has been used on many other blogs as it's a great illustration of how the city used to look decades ago. But for my purposes it's a great example of how old buildings and storefronts were covered up!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgecNP4GI0fkAicW9n-a1E5g6f5aRwoDbbbCTZHQJ-T0ofxH7DKQM0mMYiOY-GHesfAANHSA56Yumo8PkCwzC8FT0zFFCEcxCABT4tCOlaael9YnhMhmmAqp8Uzk_nzj0HP5WuFd27sA/s1600/Hastings+Storefronts+1974.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgecNP4GI0fkAicW9n-a1E5g6f5aRwoDbbbCTZHQJ-T0ofxH7DKQM0mMYiOY-GHesfAANHSA56Yumo8PkCwzC8FT0zFFCEcxCABT4tCOlaael9YnhMhmmAqp8Uzk_nzj0HP5WuFd27sA/s640/Hastings+Storefronts+1974.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The covering for the Sheppard Shoes storefront was probably porcelain enamel panels. This baked on finish offered brighter colours and was highly resistant to fading and weathering. It was first used for gas stations and their related signage which are highly collectable today. The Reitman's Store is great example of slipcovering with corrugated aluminum. In both cases the upper stories of the buildings were covered over and were probably used for storage or inventory. This provided lots of space for signage. One of the largest suppliers of aluminum slipcovering was the Kawneer Company originally from Niles Michigan. Although they were a US company they did have a factory to supply the Canadian market in Toronto Ontario. Here are a few images from an old Kawneer catalogue from the 1950's promoting the use of their siding called Zourite (don't you love that name?) to modernize old buildings and storefronts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MUHJfxKVzM1ePIabvnEYTY3AhgHtlK00oJyig4q_5UkGWiTcvzCazvpNaSd5fF__4TUnh9WIhV7pK0GNbIaMASsUMM28QI0CDnZdouEwfA7wpoMNeDphe03A24UPGrPTcq0HTLunuS8/s1600/Kawneer+Zourite.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MUHJfxKVzM1ePIabvnEYTY3AhgHtlK00oJyig4q_5UkGWiTcvzCazvpNaSd5fF__4TUnh9WIhV7pK0GNbIaMASsUMM28QI0CDnZdouEwfA7wpoMNeDphe03A24UPGrPTcq0HTLunuS8/s400/Kawneer+Zourite.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4JKDsC-A-ctEz6r2HF8lx5KMuE6ATStmXOGSE2xWhyphenhyphenCyZMC8yrmzsPJvoFrZPtQXo1YkTjNaCJKR6HvNdAB7IfQoIq9MlE_JPgpO2F7MreUg_Y1iz1-_mEdGrXS0IebnsxHuM4UbHdA/s1600/Zourite.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4JKDsC-A-ctEz6r2HF8lx5KMuE6ATStmXOGSE2xWhyphenhyphenCyZMC8yrmzsPJvoFrZPtQXo1YkTjNaCJKR6HvNdAB7IfQoIq9MlE_JPgpO2F7MreUg_Y1iz1-_mEdGrXS0IebnsxHuM4UbHdA/s320/Zourite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today the siding that was once covering the Reitman's store has been taken down revealing the old turn of the century building underneath. Back in the 1980's the Sheppard Shoes building was taken over by the Millar and Coe fine china shop next door. Interestingly both storefronts were then covered with aluminum siding which was exactly when slipcovering was starting to go out of style. Today Millar and Coe are long gone and the space is being used by Mott Electric but the metal siding is still there. It would be great if they removed the paneling as I'm sure their are some fine looking old buildings hiding underneath. Interestingly in both cases the buildings are not being used for retail purposes anymore.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWMLewiPBJC6cdeeW1nguHvyLZryux6vSPOqnKEqmEYeAv0O55c7qTHJn1-FhJqIaNh0hQYCqo69Y9LSRPLwDdFrx2z_I1dnJTiQVpf18yaIwNJvy9P63e_Ph2Ido-onNSZv1f9gFuEM/s1600/I_MG_4294.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWMLewiPBJC6cdeeW1nguHvyLZryux6vSPOqnKEqmEYeAv0O55c7qTHJn1-FhJqIaNh0hQYCqo69Y9LSRPLwDdFrx2z_I1dnJTiQVpf18yaIwNJvy9P63e_Ph2Ido-onNSZv1f9gFuEM/s640/I_MG_4294.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-176172923742140432018-04-06T11:52:00.000-07:002018-04-26T10:35:36.824-07:00The Big Cover-up - Part One<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, after a bit of a hiatus Storefront Vancouver is back with more great posts for 2018!</div>
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If you've ever been in downtown Vancouver you've probably noticed the building that houses the Church of Scientology at the North West corner of Hastings and Homer Street. Today it looks a bit odd with its funky mirrored paneling. But interestingly enough it's a great example of what happened to many old buildings in downtowns around North America in the 1950's, 60's and 70's. They were covered up!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEts_LiX0MosrHm2-fg0pwRPZU1ZSfeOBR4SDdjkeWD-C9nn9Ui9nDPuNsXgm7MiUBmt_KkBpBayPYFPzZDSaFaVMMM-k8aOoR7qm6TBCRI0aTXZThPuDPKJrtaCxQF1g8M2Uc8jV5Zg/s1600/IMG_1573.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEts_LiX0MosrHm2-fg0pwRPZU1ZSfeOBR4SDdjkeWD-C9nn9Ui9nDPuNsXgm7MiUBmt_KkBpBayPYFPzZDSaFaVMMM-k8aOoR7qm6TBCRI0aTXZThPuDPKJrtaCxQF1g8M2Uc8jV5Zg/s640/IMG_1573.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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By the late 1950's the move was on to the suburbs and retail was shifting to the shopping mall. Many downtowns had older stone or masonry buildings constructed in the late 1800's or turn of the century which were now looking a bit dated. The building at 401 West Hastings was a prime example of this as it dates from 1909. This photo was taken by <a href="http://w.j.moore/">W.J.Moore</a><span id="goog_1578182675"></span><span id="goog_1578182676"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a> in 1931. Moore is of course known for his panoramic images of Vancouver. (Vancouver Archives str N281.2)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_P75S4I2ARpBoWpOtzlfE9MjLp2BkXQbpyYzNop21JvkzFVktC55Feu7Uqf6UKQk9xzEM9KOyMOmOZ6AyaVjclDggz1BcPsb-GZwG1ELqiw3fi6g4JIAY9cLgluhpRny7pt0PbBXHMIA/s1600/Hastings-Homer+1931.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_P75S4I2ARpBoWpOtzlfE9MjLp2BkXQbpyYzNop21JvkzFVktC55Feu7Uqf6UKQk9xzEM9KOyMOmOZ6AyaVjclDggz1BcPsb-GZwG1ELqiw3fi6g4JIAY9cLgluhpRny7pt0PbBXHMIA/s400/Hastings-Homer+1931.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So in order to try and lure shoppers back to the downtown buildings and storefronts were covered up with slipcovers of paneling and corrugated metal siding. The new facades could then be covered with large modern signs. This 1974 image below from the Vancouver Archives (CVA 778-145) shows Peoples Jewellers with its modern looking mirrored panels which are still there today. The building next door was covered with metal siding and was home then to Reitman's.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JOpVnFcdlQAPhIe2QKVpX_jFep7i3C-buJDV6K9B14oWVljdK3VXm_8iqvStAzKLCep9i8UiaptU1ZEXlNXtZ7kKCwFhwySj_UNsy9yGVrg8oS0Oh19guMcZsRBPNCD0qc0krvpycZw/s1600/Peoples+Hastings+1974.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JOpVnFcdlQAPhIe2QKVpX_jFep7i3C-buJDV6K9B14oWVljdK3VXm_8iqvStAzKLCep9i8UiaptU1ZEXlNXtZ7kKCwFhwySj_UNsy9yGVrg8oS0Oh19guMcZsRBPNCD0qc0krvpycZw/s400/Peoples+Hastings+1974.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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By the 1980's slipcovering of older building began to go out of style and many downtowns rediscovered the older buildings that had been hidden away for decades. Today there are only a few buildings and storefronts left in Vancouver that are still covered up.</div>
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Check out <a href="http://storefrontvancouver.blogspot.ca/2018/04/the-big-cover-up-part-two.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> in this series of The Big Cover-up!</div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-54109938015694290232017-11-09T11:08:00.001-08:002017-11-20T09:58:30.892-08:00Fantasy Factory on Granville<div style="text-align: center;">
I was looking through some older images recently and came across a few of an Adult XXX store on Granville Street that's not around anymore. This store was part of the Fantasy Factory chain and was in the Clifton Hotel at 1127 Granville Street. As far back as 2009 it seemed like Granville Street still had plenty of Adult stores. But seeing as the 2010 Winter Olympics were just around the corner suddenly several quietly disappeared. Whether this was by design or by natural selection it's hard to tell. The City did do an extensive redesign of Granville Street in preparation for the big events in 2010. Here's a photo of the Fantasy Factory storefront in the fall of 2009.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZvUQdgLRc6iu7wgwszefQG5WS18hzhSE9aTJXxa7kL_4GS8iiguge5w4I27WaaJVA_sJnA6Glt0SluDVHm-hXh3gGBJEQwLmem7P88mduynTlDqWmvUuUy5wmm40PO1Hr0dqzeBvX-s/s1600/IMG_6942.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZvUQdgLRc6iu7wgwszefQG5WS18hzhSE9aTJXxa7kL_4GS8iiguge5w4I27WaaJVA_sJnA6Glt0SluDVHm-hXh3gGBJEQwLmem7P88mduynTlDqWmvUuUy5wmm40PO1Hr0dqzeBvX-s/s640/IMG_6942.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since 2009 many old stores along Granville Street have been renovated hoping to attract higher end tenants. This has met with mixed success. Many different shops have come and gone since then but it seems like restaurants and eateries have had the most staying power. Here's another old shot of the storefront from the fall of 2010.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuyT-HLV7R_vzbluzfXXsa5IoX_erCqxH1C12zq__R5pNUt9Dbw1rUN_6bDZKPk8Bc9EmBwEE8EyCOXnTiDYNqVUUMZmcArfFhyphenhyphenhRvrVZyyepNdNtQEskRb15utrfi-XhAeVnJytgzRA/s1600/101_IMG_1957.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuyT-HLV7R_vzbluzfXXsa5IoX_erCqxH1C12zq__R5pNUt9Dbw1rUN_6bDZKPk8Bc9EmBwEE8EyCOXnTiDYNqVUUMZmcArfFhyphenhyphenhRvrVZyyepNdNtQEskRb15utrfi-XhAeVnJytgzRA/s640/101_IMG_1957.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It seemed like this location of the Fantasy Factory was going to hang in there but that all changed in 2014. At that time the Hotel Clifton was making the news for all the wrong reasons. It seems the tenants who lived in the rooms upstairs were complaining of substandard living conditions. Instead of seeing improvements they were met with eviction notices! Thus began a long protracted battle between the owners of the hotel and City Hall. Basically the hotel was eventually emptied out and then put up for sale. So by the end of 2014 the Fantasy Factory was gone as well. Here's a photo of how the hotel looked in late 2014.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vgowsVN-APWRhtInCug9mnIWR2GGhl4ANtvANeseE4Ts25XuKUaphWWJkmDJTdyHt7P_bZqxlB_RYmNd8WVEnoPfo88L8kJiIzDahM39nGo-luPvzcDLgJ1SlMRGB1zGfOC_zfdapgk/s1600/DSCN9733.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vgowsVN-APWRhtInCug9mnIWR2GGhl4ANtvANeseE4Ts25XuKUaphWWJkmDJTdyHt7P_bZqxlB_RYmNd8WVEnoPfo88L8kJiIzDahM39nGo-luPvzcDLgJ1SlMRGB1zGfOC_zfdapgk/s400/DSCN9733.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A Google search reveals the hotel has been sold and it had an asking price of $7,788,000.00! So hopefully the new owners will renovate the old place as it's been empty for three years now. I'm thinking the Fantasy Factory won't return though. It was part of a chain and there are still quite a few sprinkled around the greater Vancouver area. But with it's neon signs it did give Granville Street a bit of gritty charm at night.</div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-54765321606980065982017-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:002017-11-02T06:51:47.610-07:00Empty Stores on Granville Street<div style="text-align: center;">
Back in October I was over in the South Granville area and noticed a higher than usual number of empty stores. South Granville is of course home to higher end and swankier retail shops and galleries so rents are already pretty pricey. The area I noticed was only in a two block stretch from Broadway down the hill to 7th Avenue. Most of the businesses in this strip are larger home furnishing and furniture stores as well as a few art galleries. It is normal for some turnover in terms of retail but the number of empty stores in such a small area makes it look like something a bit more serious is going on. Interestingly enough the Vancouver Sun recently published an article about how the City's rather misguided taxation system is forcing many independent retailers to either move farther afield or to close up shop entirely. You can read the whole story <a href="http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/fumano-vancouver-already-inhospitable-to-independent-businesses-bucks-national-trend-by-shifting-tax-burden" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LPzhRTwPNCG5iO5Qye5EAaC43LJdCeAQX23nm0H1rNwl61_7V8-agpQf_z4KBlytmzBJFRRXH4lT3a6EoD_-OHAM9s9Gn5QbkrdidMhWN39qDYAz9bdOKIz63o0DdjqNgI2MNXQi-D4/s1600/II_MG_0398.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LPzhRTwPNCG5iO5Qye5EAaC43LJdCeAQX23nm0H1rNwl61_7V8-agpQf_z4KBlytmzBJFRRXH4lT3a6EoD_-OHAM9s9Gn5QbkrdidMhWN39qDYAz9bdOKIz63o0DdjqNgI2MNXQi-D4/s640/II_MG_0398.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It seems the Triple Net lease system where retailers not only pay rent but also improvement fees and property taxes is the culprit. With the City's sky rocketing real estate prices the increase in property tax is passed on to the tenant. So in the South Granville area it seems that the point of paying ever increasing taxes has reached a breaking point and many retailers have simply had to close their doors and just move on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8zVfnyx2wWWIC_61MRuOlIrQ5x3rob3hWNqDhA2yI00j2GFfOfQqxS4IeRnxWW2q9WIqtHAyX80FDKz21FTyNH57pUjzwQlXJxPQKx6ebtAsLsdmpOF3OIHs32BXMRG5ZKfsO6uhWGo/s1600/II_MG_0396.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8zVfnyx2wWWIC_61MRuOlIrQ5x3rob3hWNqDhA2yI00j2GFfOfQqxS4IeRnxWW2q9WIqtHAyX80FDKz21FTyNH57pUjzwQlXJxPQKx6ebtAsLsdmpOF3OIHs32BXMRG5ZKfsO6uhWGo/s640/II_MG_0396.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Interestingly the <a href="https://iantangallery.com/" target="_blank">Ian Tan Gallery</a> will soon be moving across the street. According to their Twitter feed their building was sold three different times in only a 12 month period which shows the kind of frenetic activity going on in the commercial real estate market. The Gallery's present location was of course home to the <a href="https://www.equinoxgallery.com/" target="_blank">Equinox Gallery</a> for 25 years until they made the big move East back in 2012. At that time the gallery was rumoured to be paying $19,000 a month. Their move also set in motion an exodus of art galleries that left South Granville for cheaper digs in East Vancouver's industrial area in False Creek Flats. There's another <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/galleries+move+east+owners+look+cheaper+rents+more+space/7669514/story.html" target="_blank">great piece</a> about the move done by the Vancouver Sun from 2012.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1CBGZPun52t9yWlVEF8FsimZoHEmaWo5Rh6xgMK9JeSAetv2hN4uv4Ed8-Fnq4lV72jUCvPxqW0xr70A0uATu8Y3dCkN9lr5IObtLQl_3xnrFxw38Xz-XKS8kuaiO4E4A8-vc126qAY/s1600/II_MG_0394.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1CBGZPun52t9yWlVEF8FsimZoHEmaWo5Rh6xgMK9JeSAetv2hN4uv4Ed8-Fnq4lV72jUCvPxqW0xr70A0uATu8Y3dCkN9lr5IObtLQl_3xnrFxw38Xz-XKS8kuaiO4E4A8-vc126qAY/s400/II_MG_0394.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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More empty stores on South Granville</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JQa-nGAIDOvUzizvZpRs9-yZuNOUfsPvVYJbgPBsE9vCPiTnOl_aNoYNT576I48cHqdYlTEFDcj6CzJIi61QcMaRrgWeakM5AnZSavKRSeOF10WWkSrhLEfHpotdRr6Z1tnpF_LQ7jM/s1600/II_MG_0405.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JQa-nGAIDOvUzizvZpRs9-yZuNOUfsPvVYJbgPBsE9vCPiTnOl_aNoYNT576I48cHqdYlTEFDcj6CzJIi61QcMaRrgWeakM5AnZSavKRSeOF10WWkSrhLEfHpotdRr6Z1tnpF_LQ7jM/s400/II_MG_0405.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So what does the future hold for this part of South Granville? Hard to tell but as we've seen in other high end retail strips like Fourth Avenue and Robson Street most likely big chain type retailers will probably move in. They do have the financial clout to hang in for the longer haul but make for a much less interesting shopping experience. But business is business and even the big name stores will suffer losses for only so long. Some big players have even given up on Robson Street in recent years because of astronomical rents. In any case it probably means many more small independent retailers will be forced out unless the City takes action which seems unlikely.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYkIace5N87DgtfLP46A0Jttwda6brIIoI_BEJWmvWmIz9W-yhzTD_tgePiVRunYayyg5TBrOhJOjrUzoYDAhoJIyPr67Hp9QyAJt8aNCnorbHlAifWzc3NS0qEJanxdDVsmzuGF7LP8/s1600/II_MG_0402.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYkIace5N87DgtfLP46A0Jttwda6brIIoI_BEJWmvWmIz9W-yhzTD_tgePiVRunYayyg5TBrOhJOjrUzoYDAhoJIyPr67Hp9QyAJt8aNCnorbHlAifWzc3NS0qEJanxdDVsmzuGF7LP8/s400/II_MG_0402.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-62706415594403765872017-10-19T11:16:00.001-07:002017-10-19T11:16:46.707-07:0012th Street Storefronts<div style="text-align: center;">
Time to change things up a bit and temporarily leave Vancouver for a quick visit to 12th Street out in New Westminster. This part of New West has a lot of history and has some great old storefronts! Most are located along a strip of the street that stretches from 10th Avenue down the hill to 6th Avenue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeSTb0RpgmB-lfcXG1Yr2tnrVXQMuW40Y6LB4f1vdnmXbKl4Xa0p-QIvzzlxRwHX3-iCpabyNvzYtbEFM71ux-MfO8c6eCzJHqAJmRQWSbNf_GOlvzjAHwE5r59nrAbykRXRx4BTETX0/s1600/I_MG_0248.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeSTb0RpgmB-lfcXG1Yr2tnrVXQMuW40Y6LB4f1vdnmXbKl4Xa0p-QIvzzlxRwHX3-iCpabyNvzYtbEFM71ux-MfO8c6eCzJHqAJmRQWSbNf_GOlvzjAHwE5r59nrAbykRXRx4BTETX0/s640/I_MG_0248.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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12th Street is actually a continuation of Kingsway which runs all the way into Vancouver. For a time it was the main route down to the US border. Here's some info I found about Kingsway in a City of Vancouver document about the historical significance of the 2400 Motel.</div>
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"The route we know as Kingsway has a long history. The Royal Engineers, who were sent from England to keep order during the gold rush beginning in 1858, feared invasion by the expansionist United States. So they laid out a trail running some 13 miles (20 kilometres) from New Westminster, the capital of the then British colony of British Columbia, northwest to Burrard Inlet. The route most likely followed a pre-contact Aboriginal trail. It was originally called Westminster Road"</div>
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"Westminster Road (renamed Kingsway in 1913) became the auto route heading south once the Fraser River was bridged at New Westminster in 1904. Kingsway kept growing in importance. The Pattullo Bridge crossing the Fraser River at New Westminster was completed in 1937. From there the King George Highway ran south to the international border at Blaine, Washington. Kingsway became the northernmost section of a road system linking Vancouver down the American coast to Mexico by what became known as the Pacific Highway."</div>
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So some of the storefronts along 12th street probably date from the heyday of the automobile. I'm guessing some are from the early 20th century and most probably from the 1920's and 1930's. 12th Street is of course no longer the transportation corridor it once was but the street with its old stores still has lots of charm. Today there are antique stores, restaurants, neighbourhood grocery stores, and some funky thrift stores to name a few.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UoAkTwNjgPW8kIveghU9Bdv2oSbNJ6qVZH4Z5uBToAEKTCwg5KueWa3AgBz4aFMs8k-fUWbdoRFU1XdHW7BhfPyBzOHy7P-3_xLAhQ2KJYUuagwZhC2JiLhxwu8U_8bFBQNw4WOCZog/s1600/I_MG_0253.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UoAkTwNjgPW8kIveghU9Bdv2oSbNJ6qVZH4Z5uBToAEKTCwg5KueWa3AgBz4aFMs8k-fUWbdoRFU1XdHW7BhfPyBzOHy7P-3_xLAhQ2KJYUuagwZhC2JiLhxwu8U_8bFBQNw4WOCZog/s640/I_MG_0253.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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But New West like most municipalities in the Lower Mainland is growing at a phenomenal rate. This especially true in the lower part of town where condo towers having been springing up like weeds over the last decade. No doubt this will have an effect on the little stores on 12th Street. As property values and taxes rise it becomes economically unviable to have such little buildings on such expensive land. So for the time being this little strip of 12th Street is hanging in there and is well worth a visit!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFR_ojbSKKs5WVtWesBq_aFlvBTG2nAAGHeTa-RvhHBKnvJDJvXYjDWWWyBsFdGF83nRVRL8VscAL4mlirle6-PBsqdPrS5fzbv8pjqVPa6gBOT3Yq818jbnR2eoP3pbYwxeGHjxrpU4/s1600/I_MG_0246.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFR_ojbSKKs5WVtWesBq_aFlvBTG2nAAGHeTa-RvhHBKnvJDJvXYjDWWWyBsFdGF83nRVRL8VscAL4mlirle6-PBsqdPrS5fzbv8pjqVPa6gBOT3Yq818jbnR2eoP3pbYwxeGHjxrpU4/s640/I_MG_0246.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-87344975628007996952017-10-04T15:56:00.003-07:002017-10-19T20:56:57.925-07:00The Jade Dynasty Restaurant<div style="text-align: center;">
One of my favourite storefronts in Chinatown is the Jade Dynasty Restaurant at 137 East Pender Street. Located in the 1913 Mah Society Building it's certainly one of the most colourful storefronts around. But that all changed back in early 2016 when the restaurant closed down and the building started an extensive restoration. Here's an old photo of how it looked back in early 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cA4WoLGf6fkC-IKzMr0uA2HBY1RGaN39YD1Vek_pyPz2a1mJuZeDNxpYgrsal5jeYsi6iUVTjGH630hTGFLtdJCtwSP4PWy_yxOWflD9BGF1vR-vUKdd9QMp202QV5BrgI5WUwFieLY/s1600/DSCN0529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cA4WoLGf6fkC-IKzMr0uA2HBY1RGaN39YD1Vek_pyPz2a1mJuZeDNxpYgrsal5jeYsi6iUVTjGH630hTGFLtdJCtwSP4PWy_yxOWflD9BGF1vR-vUKdd9QMp202QV5BrgI5WUwFieLY/s640/DSCN0529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Strangely enough while the building was empty it suffered a fire. A local news channel stated <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/2745981/vancouver-restaurant-goes-up-in-flames/" target="_blank">incorrectly</a> that the restaurant "went up in flames" although there was some damage as a result.</div>
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When the building first opened in 1913 the storefront was home to Kwong Fong Grocery with the Minglee Rooms upstairs. Here's a <a href="http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/image-image.aspx?id=7802#i1" target="_blank">link to a photo</a> of the building at Canada's Historic Places.</div>
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After doing a bit of searching I found the building got a Heritage Facade Grant from the City back in late 2015. I also found a document online that included lot's of technical and historical information about the old place. Amazingly there was some very detailed info about the storefront and how it had changed over the years.</div>
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"The original 1913 wood storefront was altered in about 1928; the storefront above the wood paneled base and below the wood clearestorey windows was replaced with a pressed copper storefront system popular at this time. The storefront was entirely changed out in the late 1960s to an aluminum storefront with a ceramic tile covering over the clearestorey area, which was subsequently replaced in the 1980s with the current aluminum storefront.<span style="font-family: "bookantiqua"; font-size: 12pt;">"</span></div>
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So in the summer of 2017 the restoration work was complete and the Jade Dynasty reopened for business. But it looks nothing like the old restaurant!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookantiqua"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpPfkDZ0MXqls-CiSz2mqE_cLAuFTspPnRk_HkQ3MMIHEYIjw5FTpCltPvr6wnDqvhgYxzYrZHrXiUKKvIb0GxG442duhgNrGwv0bX4Gdf3TvlVD3WK5B5o3DaatIXmpfyaVe9ro4Fb4/s1600/DSCN6274.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpPfkDZ0MXqls-CiSz2mqE_cLAuFTspPnRk_HkQ3MMIHEYIjw5FTpCltPvr6wnDqvhgYxzYrZHrXiUKKvIb0GxG442duhgNrGwv0bX4Gdf3TvlVD3WK5B5o3DaatIXmpfyaVe9ro4Fb4/s640/DSCN6274.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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The restaurant's new look is more in keeping with the building's original design but I can't help thinking that I liked the colours of the old place better!</div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-34181167511277630022017-09-13T13:33:00.003-07:002017-09-13T13:41:17.748-07:00Glory Foods<div style="text-align: center;">
I was down in Gastown recently and as I was walking along Carrall Street near Powell I immediately noticed something was missing. Glory Foods was a little corner store that was right next door to another one called Bill's Confectionary. It was always interesting to see two corner stores side by side. But the way Gastown is changing I guess it was only a matter of time before one of them disappeared. Here is an old shot of the store taken back in late 2012.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5UryhJ-x1MxGueOjZspDxztdC_lHo5uWOi8XABdtVXKnOlIaXKw7vIIkoUmivvbsvZIuIumf_qeOpv6u3h_Sx7qE5pvtyuFbHH8O1HzmHOW45jX_645IEGW7zNk9G5wYMXgjyRrwHbY/s1600/IMG_5189.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5UryhJ-x1MxGueOjZspDxztdC_lHo5uWOi8XABdtVXKnOlIaXKw7vIIkoUmivvbsvZIuIumf_qeOpv6u3h_Sx7qE5pvtyuFbHH8O1HzmHOW45jX_645IEGW7zNk9G5wYMXgjyRrwHbY/s640/IMG_5189.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The store was located in the old Glory Hotel which was a single room occupancy hotel. Technically the building dates from 1909. But according to the folks at <a href="https://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Changing Vancouver</a> the hotel was built over two existing stores on Carrall Street. You can read more about the Glory Hotel in their post <a href="https://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/glory-hotel-204-carrall-street/" target="_blank">here</a>. I happened to find an old photo at the Vancouver Archives of the building taken probably in the early 1980's. At that time the space was home to a belt buckle store! It's hard to photograph the building today as trees have since grown up and cover it during the spring and summer months. CVA-790-2146</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84eKYHxE8NrDbxU1v2unc0WTODgXI56rCnUrsf81nWbg_NsAamI5S4aeY70so3khTpC9wtPuEfQ9kxVzk9hyPdIuWauxZLeML3EjwmRVceKb53MqmBjWgBa9nzd0Vwm932FkrNeGU9IY/s1600/Glory+Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84eKYHxE8NrDbxU1v2unc0WTODgXI56rCnUrsf81nWbg_NsAamI5S4aeY70so3khTpC9wtPuEfQ9kxVzk9hyPdIuWauxZLeML3EjwmRVceKb53MqmBjWgBa9nzd0Vwm932FkrNeGU9IY/s320/Glory+Hotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I did a little searching and found out the hotel was sold back in 2014. It looks like it's also been extensively renovated over the last few years. So I guess the corner store's days were probably numbered. I'm also guessing the folks that lived in the rooms upstairs won't be able to afford to move back either. The area around Maple Tree Square and Gastown in general is going very upscale in terms of retail these days. A new store called Bailey Nelson (Australian) will be opening a new eyewear store once renovations are completed. I'm sure the new store will be nice but you can't help miss the character of Glory Foods!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5JIpELknrAoaIfnIWu7xZkumvFEvRoRPZZ6gmunHsGFGWsIIFQmDX-p7p4Jfurwz3Kb9nWs7smM2jrIAHM0TZ9pFLM290gs9Ic_sb94X6zjjisSBihASE6U1Ms5nJJzLqwUR4Gb6yNY/s1600/DSCN6288.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5JIpELknrAoaIfnIWu7xZkumvFEvRoRPZZ6gmunHsGFGWsIIFQmDX-p7p4Jfurwz3Kb9nWs7smM2jrIAHM0TZ9pFLM290gs9Ic_sb94X6zjjisSBihASE6U1Ms5nJJzLqwUR4Gb6yNY/s400/DSCN6288.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-22872514048309206962017-09-01T08:35:00.003-07:002021-03-25T12:27:24.158-07:00Ecco Il Pane Bakery<div style="text-align: center;">
The old Ecco Il Pane bakery at 238 West 5th Avenue had become one of Vancouver's new urban mysteries. I seem to remember it being open back in the mid 2000's. But somewhere along the line it closed its doors and the building looks like it's been abandoned ever since. I believe Ecco Il Pane was one of the city's first artisan bakeries. It might have been well ahead of its time as artisan everything is in vogue now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTC7S6DuvZkVC31yoLjiUnZFGNNVngysGeTfhRk7ndgEtgpbsPT2nY0Djxo2iCxUQpg451lV5nDXQYNot2YJEcUAeX4ea2NC2j3Sd3op67P6hlZ-mrp8YdV3uIGEnSmAcASkSWdhPy_s/s1600/I_MG_8235.jpg"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTC7S6DuvZkVC31yoLjiUnZFGNNVngysGeTfhRk7ndgEtgpbsPT2nY0Djxo2iCxUQpg451lV5nDXQYNot2YJEcUAeX4ea2NC2j3Sd3op67P6hlZ-mrp8YdV3uIGEnSmAcASkSWdhPy_s/s640/I_MG_8235.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The building is situated in Lower Mount Pleasant which has become an "in demand" destination for the tech and fashion industries. Real estate prices in recent years have skyrocketed forcing many traditional service businesses to relocate elsewhere while the new and hip move in. Just across the street the old Hudson Plating building was recently demolished to make way for a big new office building. So no doubt the old Ecco Il Pane building is worth a small fortune! I'm sure realtors and developers are probably salivating hoping to get their hands on the place. But there it sits looking empty and abandoned and covered in ivy. Could be the space is being used with access from the lane but it all looks very mysterious!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0nXXB8_6Z0nG6VCVGTng1WKcWJfD5NujrLv1fpxeYS74c0TyIGPds84ujrCEbj_cPvtv4MlsBNb_vVXSvbX50K3N46eQ0uqKh9bTDp05Zo-MdmpIO_II6ZSrd-iUjswCwC8o_HRWbxU/s1600/DSCN2684.jpg"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0nXXB8_6Z0nG6VCVGTng1WKcWJfD5NujrLv1fpxeYS74c0TyIGPds84ujrCEbj_cPvtv4MlsBNb_vVXSvbX50K3N46eQ0uqKh9bTDp05Zo-MdmpIO_II6ZSrd-iUjswCwC8o_HRWbxU/s400/DSCN2684.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-49873322417212061632017-08-15T17:11:00.004-07:002021-03-26T09:22:21.498-07:00The Blue Eagle Cafe<div style="text-align: justify;">
A little bit of Vancouver's history was lost forever when the old Blue Eagle Cafe was torn down back in 2011. The cafe had a long run and had operated at 130 East Hastings street from 1944 until it was finally closed down by the City in 1999 for drug infractions. Being right in the Downtown Eastside and just a stones throw from Main and Hastings the Blue Eagle was in a bit of a rough stretch of town. But this is nothing new as the neighbourhood has always had its problems going back many decades. Another classic Vancouver cafe the Only Seafoods just down the street would later suffer the same fate in 2009.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiY1fX7kHmgSHm2Cgfod7df0ZVtxWShpKLKrrekg3AIUCskJijZbDzy46ysD4oqZWJuVaoUKUmeQCSpOjJpVVWQhjN6HS1DfxzgHShLu22-f_UU23V8A2gwPvNhyKhkaFbrtNs92imFE/s1600/Blue+Eagle-Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiY1fX7kHmgSHm2Cgfod7df0ZVtxWShpKLKrrekg3AIUCskJijZbDzy46ysD4oqZWJuVaoUKUmeQCSpOjJpVVWQhjN6HS1DfxzgHShLu22-f_UU23V8A2gwPvNhyKhkaFbrtNs92imFE/s640/Blue+Eagle-Front.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The building was of course very old and had three distinct storefronts. These were home to a revolving door of businesses and eateries over the years. Back in 1916 the space at 130 had once been home to the White Lunch which went on to have a few locations around town as well as some great neon signage. A few doors East at 134 was The Golden Gate Cafe which once sported a tall neon sign with a coffee cup at the top. Years later just next door to that at 138 was the infamous <a href="http://www.greggirard.com/content/gallery/Van_75_002.jpg" target="_blank">Kit Kat Klub</a>. Before the Blue Eagle arrived on the scene this part of Hastings Street was Vancouver's downtown and cafe's were literally everywhere along the street. Today the only one left is the Ovaltine Cafe just East of Main Street. You can see what the street looked like back in 1973 in this <a href="http://pasttensevancouver.tumblr.com/post/28086444395/blueeagle1973" target="_blank">great photo</a> by Vancouver photographer Greg Girard.</div>
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Sadly the old building that housed the Blue Eagle was neglected for years like many in the Downtown Eastside. For just over a decade the Blue Eagle's classic neon sign sat abandoned with the eagle keeping watch over the sidewalk on Hastings Street. It wasn't until 2010 that the sign was finally acquired by the Museum of Vancouver.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtXiTGZpMhji10TjJke_P5gCN-drYGzz2OySQY1Hi9Ggae_gJg84dZiiW2iCS70STc1-K_mZITsvkyiMpDL9m1b4rnnhtRxOp4D7jTTJ9qjb_GzMR78tLzKuw4vQjPdnBe5tBib5aXIw/s1600/Blue+Eagle-Sign.jpg"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtXiTGZpMhji10TjJke_P5gCN-drYGzz2OySQY1Hi9Ggae_gJg84dZiiW2iCS70STc1-K_mZITsvkyiMpDL9m1b4rnnhtRxOp4D7jTTJ9qjb_GzMR78tLzKuw4vQjPdnBe5tBib5aXIw/s400/Blue+Eagle-Sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The sign at its new home in 2011</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh556BuVHhERbZb5-_jKBjMCVFBn2tGV41wTyJPOJ36LxLHl_KXBKVWrQQ2OWroqGpVuiVYTeUktR_NwCi1O2TkfDCdAB_DuuyNyGclFdKSq5t-e0D8_HJjpBbTyRxnv05xIJe1eyPYFL8/s1600/Blue+Eagle-MOV.jpg"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh556BuVHhERbZb5-_jKBjMCVFBn2tGV41wTyJPOJ36LxLHl_KXBKVWrQQ2OWroqGpVuiVYTeUktR_NwCi1O2TkfDCdAB_DuuyNyGclFdKSq5t-e0D8_HJjpBbTyRxnv05xIJe1eyPYFL8/s400/Blue+Eagle-MOV.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's really too bad the Blue Eagle is gone as it makes me think the old place could have lived again if it had been renovated in time. Upscale restaurants are now making inroads into the Downtown Eastside and especially into Chinatown. Of course many are calling this gentrification but it's nice to see empty storefronts coming back to life. The Blue Eagle's interior was pretty spiffy and the floor was covered in amazing mosaic tile work. Done up right it would still look fabulous today!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ChY0xvxfxTqoRx1kMcn_BPA2X9AWfl7IRxhSCuSv0ENid44qj_dTI5_oWMYQQP6vr71fRvbppeMleMum36s0l4zcXEMkAPXWSRfkr8MhvdxSsCuYJ84gyXeIg4YXWYYL6cpogDoM0Hk/s1600/Blue+Eagle-Tile.jpg"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ChY0xvxfxTqoRx1kMcn_BPA2X9AWfl7IRxhSCuSv0ENid44qj_dTI5_oWMYQQP6vr71fRvbppeMleMum36s0l4zcXEMkAPXWSRfkr8MhvdxSsCuYJ84gyXeIg4YXWYYL6cpogDoM0Hk/s320/Blue+Eagle-Tile.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Western wall was also covered in beautiful tiles no doubt from its days as The White Lunch.</div>
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But in Vancouver nothing lasts forever and the deal was finally sealed for the Blue Eagle when the Pantages Theatre up the block at 150 East Hastings was condemned after suffering years of water damage. At one time there were serious plans to restore the theatre to its former glory. But by 2010 all those plans had gone seriously off the rails and all the old buildings had an appointment with the demolition man. As artist Keith McKellar wrote in his 1999 book Neon Eulogy "Everybody knows the room with a mischevious soul. The Blue Eagle Cafe". At least we have the old neon sign to remember the place by!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">March 2021 - Just a quick update as I recently discovered an old photo from the 1920's in the VPL's collection on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/99915476@N04/albums/72157636305761336" target="_blank">Flickr</a>. The photo is by Stuart Thomson and shows 130 East Hastings when it was the White Lunch. A few doors East at 134 was the Golden Gate Cafe with its big electric sign!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuSh5CJ1LqVApm7x7cqv30xN0fa88lecBiLtVr__n02AG35etulpeHaXwERdcV31nje6l_EAlcVI3BhO8E12_Ojl-sigmUTkqCH6zyQ4F1G-04zXjc6QG87WsPkxqt4IKEF-OnE-AktU/s1200/130+East+Hastings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1200" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuSh5CJ1LqVApm7x7cqv30xN0fa88lecBiLtVr__n02AG35etulpeHaXwERdcV31nje6l_EAlcVI3BhO8E12_Ojl-sigmUTkqCH6zyQ4F1G-04zXjc6QG87WsPkxqt4IKEF-OnE-AktU/w640-h469/130+East+Hastings.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-15594218754343355522017-07-31T16:38:00.000-07:002019-12-04T15:28:55.869-08:00The Lido<div style="text-align: center;">
If you're new to Vancouver or the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood you might know The Lido as a local drinking hole and performance venue. But prior to it opening back in 2014 the original Lido building was one of Vancouver's most mysterious places. The building at 518 East Broadway dates from 1911 and a big improvement year was 1940. The Lido with its black and green vitrolite tile is first listed in the city directory back in 1942. After doing some initial searching I found a common thread. Many people in Vancouver seem to remember the store, but many couldn't remember when it had actually been open. Here's a photo of the old storefront in 2012.</div>
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The Lido had been around for decades but I really hadn't paid much attention to it before. When I first joined Flickr back in 2005 I remember seeing some else's photos of "the store that's never open". So with a new 5 megapixel camera in hand I went over to investigate it myself. Looking through the windows you could see an almost empty store. The shelves were filled with faded yellow "no name" cans and packages that had obviously been there for many years. The middle part of the store had a few empty deli coolers and display cases. There was also a hand written price list of "Lido Specials" taped in the front window. I also noticed an up to date calendar on the wall! During the winter months when I'd been by I had also noticed that there were lights on during the evenings. So despite the store not being open for decades someone was obviously keeping an eye on the place. Here are couple of photos from back in 2005.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh669ibx4VyYV3X5gBq3zM2OugSxEhW_lBBJ2y4Ie7LPmsn1U6S8vY6TIQtCYk-niRcmflw7uEqX3ChMG3hUeihiTqLAzdTe3zhBQqNlbCEQoqznQeAIHGdNPZgR4UZ5FpxXoRc3pzuAC8/s1600/Lido+Prices.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh669ibx4VyYV3X5gBq3zM2OugSxEhW_lBBJ2y4Ie7LPmsn1U6S8vY6TIQtCYk-niRcmflw7uEqX3ChMG3hUeihiTqLAzdTe3zhBQqNlbCEQoqznQeAIHGdNPZgR4UZ5FpxXoRc3pzuAC8/s640/Lido+Prices.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I remember in 2006 the local paper the Vancouver Courier did a story on The Lido and actually named the family that owned it. I guess someone didn't like the publicity because the windows of the store were soon covered over in newspapers! So the days of looking through the windows at The Lido were suddenly over. Sadly the Courier piece has disappeared from their website. So not everything on the internet lasts forever!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztiivnDAn66pl1FVT_oFK0cUyzegA86b8mbZ_YWP6IZXSAhekXevHuHpVqRYvruBg1c67ylXFQH06eqL4WAchFr3EJyFLCYtvx9gUvA_0bvhxP6Rv94nEfgs4DDeyc4qQ-lDPqWNH_hs/s1600/P1020980.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztiivnDAn66pl1FVT_oFK0cUyzegA86b8mbZ_YWP6IZXSAhekXevHuHpVqRYvruBg1c67ylXFQH06eqL4WAchFr3EJyFLCYtvx9gUvA_0bvhxP6Rv94nEfgs4DDeyc4qQ-lDPqWNH_hs/s640/P1020980.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It wasn't until a few years later in 2008 when the Vancouver Sun ran a story about The Lido that some of the store's mysteries were finally revealed. Apparently the building's long time owner a Mrs. Rothweiler had passed away and the store had finally been cleaned out. What they found inside was truly amazing! There were 15 cubic yards of rusted salmon and tuna cans. Plus it took 10 truckloads to empty all the junk out of the building. But under a rug someone $950.00 in vintage 50 and 100 dollar bills. Some of the cleanup crew thought they were fake. But the caretaker made the biggest discovery of a bag containing $400,000.00 in 1930's currency stashed in a bedroom closet. In the house next door a suitcase containing old German passports dating from the 1940's and 1950's was also found. Very mysterious indeed! Here's another old photo from 2005.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1eeunzwpP2fy9I8s7GyKh-XAzBulMBnDInodhXRxGb5ob4f48KLKtokV9yk_4J5hmN60u0HC6VsqPYWqNMLNzHQzrvOwLSkykPnzqma5PtAvCqo-k8aiL6VEdTP4Sk2GYQQMs56DrAk/s1600/PICT6202.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1eeunzwpP2fy9I8s7GyKh-XAzBulMBnDInodhXRxGb5ob4f48KLKtokV9yk_4J5hmN60u0HC6VsqPYWqNMLNzHQzrvOwLSkykPnzqma5PtAvCqo-k8aiL6VEdTP4Sk2GYQQMs56DrAk/s320/PICT6202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After doing a bit more searching I found that the Rothweilers would buy up expired cheeses and other canned and packaged goods and then sell them at discounted prices in The Lido. In the early days it looks like they must have had some kind of passport operation going as well. After Mr. Rothweiler passed away it looks like his wife kept the place basically unchanged for many decades until her eventual passing. After the store was finally cleaned out there were a few different shops that opened in the space. I think there was an art gallery and maybe a clothing boutique. Neither lasted very long and I guess the building and house next door sold sometime after 2012. In 2013 the store went through an extensive renovation and opened as The Lido bar that's there today. During the reno the new Lido lost much of it's original charm but they did keep the name and sign! Here's a <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/5v3cEBHJUgw" target="_blank">Street View link</a> of the building today.</div>
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-76931787647121896762017-07-05T11:03:00.002-07:002017-07-05T11:16:11.490-07:00ABC Jewellery & Loan<div style="text-align: center;">
When I first arrived in Vancouver in the late 1980's it seemed like Pawn Shops were everywhere in the city. Granville Street and East Hastings Street seemed to have most of them. But times have changed and today there are probably only about a dozen or so left scattered around town. That's why I figured I'd better get a shot of ABC Jewelllery & Loan at 937 Davie Street when I was downtown back in 2014. I think this is the only pawn shop on Davie Street.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpgcxmkEmIOa3mBjAt-PnyaJe2An9R6xBH6hL7DaYr-4QXgg7r8in_T1_KDAcJWUWXXrzwTroFqYrzEm_kWWAqgfRjpxiPnINREpePZvb014AhwGevJvtxAY443YRRqFDfpwMle4nELU/s1600/DSCN9517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpgcxmkEmIOa3mBjAt-PnyaJe2An9R6xBH6hL7DaYr-4QXgg7r8in_T1_KDAcJWUWXXrzwTroFqYrzEm_kWWAqgfRjpxiPnINREpePZvb014AhwGevJvtxAY443YRRqFDfpwMle4nELU/s640/DSCN9517.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The building located near Burrard Street is quite old and dates from 1925. Over the years it has been home to numerous businesses none of them very notable. For many years during the 1930's there was a listing for a FJ Auterson. In 1940 it was home to The Sample Hat Shop and in 1955 there was a Mrs. GA Brambley Dressmaker.</div>
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But there were some interesting places close by! During the 1940's and 1950's a building across the street was home to Paramount Film Services at 960 Davie. Next door at 970 was Warner Brothers Pictures Distributors. But a directory listing for 1940 has an S Thomson Photographer at 916 Davie just down the street. This of course could only be THE Stuart Thomson who was an early professional photographer who captured the city in it's developing years. Thanks to him we have thousands and thousands of images of a Vancouver that largely doesn't exist anymore. You can see more of Thomson's images and find out more about him at <a href="http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/stuart-thomson-fonds" target="_blank">his page</a> on the Vancouver Archives website.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bpjJ4bi9gZhY5QOJuvVQHGgQ3f8Ya4nSwPbYMbhCirje7CkHPM2yEMNmsStLx2WW3OffPeEWmz4HPvBzqV410adv3U-J5ZCIvB8Q2ngp0GubZhi4F0S2zgT327J-ZUhvydsVlEBCT78/s1600/101_IMG_2588.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bpjJ4bi9gZhY5QOJuvVQHGgQ3f8Ya4nSwPbYMbhCirje7CkHPM2yEMNmsStLx2WW3OffPeEWmz4HPvBzqV410adv3U-J5ZCIvB8Q2ngp0GubZhi4F0S2zgT327J-ZUhvydsVlEBCT78/s400/101_IMG_2588.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Today the block of old buildings at Burrard and Davie are probably living on borrowed time. Most of the block is actually made up of a parking lot. So With the crazy price of real estate in Vancouver these days that simply won't do! I'm sure developers somewhere are planning a much larger building for the corner. This <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/sRSmrgRqpNG2" target="_blank">Street View</a> from 2016 confirms the lot has indeed sold but it could be a few more years before the old buildings finally come down making the old pawn shop just another memory.</div>
<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-38055361097755597262017-06-23T15:05:00.002-07:002017-07-05T11:13:19.135-07:00New York NoveltiesNew York Novelties is another funky bit of the old Mount Pleasant neighbourhood that's disappeared recently. For many years I used to walk by this store at 2429 Main Street close to Broadway on my way uptown. It was one of those rare places in East Vancouver that didn't have bars in the windows. It was great to look at all the masks and wigs in the window display especially at dusk. Then around 2012 I realized I better start taking some photos of this place!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXla0-M7a4I26pFiNyRCSlxv2-Q4jpPnLRXX2KUDj4Tii8dd_77oMwL8b8syPRBqmvkrYFqOABBaeXd8o7ogwUlJhpQSrfCxUvHsw_3px1tg-O4L5t4MtBfwD4Wv7Y7msWdJ5263AJpM/s1600/DSCN0821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXla0-M7a4I26pFiNyRCSlxv2-Q4jpPnLRXX2KUDj4Tii8dd_77oMwL8b8syPRBqmvkrYFqOABBaeXd8o7ogwUlJhpQSrfCxUvHsw_3px1tg-O4L5t4MtBfwD4Wv7Y7msWdJ5263AJpM/s640/DSCN0821.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm glad I took some pictures when I did as a "For Lease" sign went up in the window in late 2014. By the spring of 2015 the store was empty and New York Novelties was gone. But it turns out they hadn't gone far as they'd only moved a few blocks away down East Broadway across from the Kingsgate Mall. The new location was probably cheaper rent wise but the window display wasn't nearly as wonderful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpfVSGoCL2FaJhtIwYAON9yYooCpPZhS2BBCKP-W7EOSIUkzVvnGMmfQjDbyGqiXdTIPXy97vwBaCbdPvzWgrk6H7wpO5n3I1tjyb7e7xxsIVGaAKXW9fIkCn0tHvM-LwUULJPjEcjUM/s1600/DSCN0827.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpfVSGoCL2FaJhtIwYAON9yYooCpPZhS2BBCKP-W7EOSIUkzVvnGMmfQjDbyGqiXdTIPXy97vwBaCbdPvzWgrk6H7wpO5n3I1tjyb7e7xxsIVGaAKXW9fIkCn0tHvM-LwUULJPjEcjUM/s400/DSCN0827.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Main Street store next to the Lee Building is fairly old and got it's start as the People's Fruit Market back in the 1940's. During the 50's times had changed and the space became Finn's Ladies and Men's Wear with Hilker's Dry Goods right next door at 2425. Today the store is home to Our Community Bikes who were forced out of their old space further up Main Street in 2015. If you look outside the store today you can see the name Christie Grants in the tile work. This store must have been there in the 1960's and it looks like it took up both spaces.</div>
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Sadly it looks like New York Novelties is no more as they closed up their store on East Broadway at the end of May. I'm not sure what happened. Maybe the new location wasn't so good or they were done in by people shopping online? Whatever the case the way the city is changing it's better to take pictures now and ask questions later as it could all be gone tomorrow!</div>
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JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-73993516170828902432017-06-02T15:54:00.001-07:002017-06-08T16:47:59.227-07:00Reno's RestaurantReno's Restaurant at 151 East Broadway on the ground floor of the 1912 Lee Building was a classic piece of the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. It seemed like Reno's had been around for just ages. I'm sure it was already there when I first came to Vancouver in the late 1980's . The decor was a bit dated but when you charge $3.99 for breakfast that's served all day who's to complain. Reno's was a greasy spoon but it was the kind of place where everyone was welcome. If some cheap eats and a bit of people watching were up your alley then Reno's was the place to go. But in November of 2015 Reno's suddenly closed their doors. From what I understand their lease was not renewed so that was the end of another neighbourhood institution.<br />
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Being that the Lee Building at Main and Broadway dates from 1912 there were no doubt a few different eateries in the space before it became Reno's. After reading <a href="http://laughinghand.com/" target="_blank">Keith McKellar's</a> book Neon Eulogy I discovered that it had been part of the popular <a href="http://www.vancouverneon.com/page_q/aristocratic.htm" target="_blank">Aristocratic</a> chain starting in 1953. Before that it was Hux Lunch during the 1940's and back in the 1920's it was Purity Lunch which dated as far back as 1915 in the same location. Incidentally the last Aristocratic restaurant was at Granville and Broadway and closed down in the mid 1990's when the present Chapters bookstore was built.</div>
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In the spring of 2016 Fable Diner opened it's doors at 151 East Broadway. The space was totally renovated and it looks bright and modern now. The menu is of course totally up to date and caters to a hipper crowd. But there's even a Reno's Burger on the menu which is a nice touch. I'm sure Fable is doing well with the influx of tech companies coming into Mount Pleasant. It's probably an in demand place for lunch. But it's not quite the same walking along Broadway and not seeing the old Reno's neon sign in the window!</div>
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-54367269390800351142017-05-25T09:41:00.000-07:002017-05-25T15:48:08.874-07:00John's JukesJohn's Jukes at 2343 Main Street was one of those shops that gave the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood its funky vibe. They'd been in Mount Pleasant for 35 years and have a great business restoring juke boxes, pinball machines, and various arcade style machines. But back in early February big "For Lease" signs went up in the window foreshadowing more changes coming to the neighbourhood. Now in late May the shop has closed and moved to a new location in Burnaby. To me John's Jukes was one of those interesting stores that was always just there. Every day someone would dutifully bring out an old Wurlitzer juke box for display on Main Street.<br />
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I actually didn't have many exterior shots of the store. I was always more interested in capturing some of the colourful juke boxes in the front window that were lit up at night. This is an old shot from back in 2013.</div>
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And a look through the front door back in 2015</div>
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With skyrocketing real estate prices in Mount Pleasant I guess it's only inevitable more old school businesses will be leaving the area. Since the beginning of the year this will be the 8th shop to have either closed or moved out of the heart of Mount Pleasant. I'm sad to see John's Jukes go but glad they moved on to bigger and better things. Either way it won't be the same walking up Main Street without seeing the old Wurlitzer out front!</div>
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-35819285464751696412017-05-11T15:23:00.003-07:002017-05-11T18:25:13.287-07:00Kinetic ElectronicsKinetic Electronics is a quirky little storefront I've had my eye on for some time now. It's located between Glen Drive and Vernon Drive at 1139 East Hastings. It's also been notoriously difficult to photograph as there's always been a car parked out front whenever I've been by. It's taken a few years but I finally got my shot. At first glance the place really doesn't look like much. But it's one of those rare stores with a hidden house in the rear of the property. The house dates from 1905 and 1920 was a big improvement year so that could be when the storefront was built.<br />
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Although the front of the store looks a bit dishevelled and there are actually some old dot matrix printer boxes by the window reviews of the place are actually very good! So don't let the funky looks deceive you. The house at the back of the property has obviously seen better days and the front of the roof is now covered up with a tarp. This alley view was taken back in 2012.</div>
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This part of Hastings Street is very old but there's not too much left in the area today. But there are still a few old gems to be found. Vancouver also has quite a collection of sidewalk stamps. That is dates and names put into the concrete when the sidewalk was put in. Just down the block at the North East side of Hastings at Vernon is one the oldest ones in the city dating from 1906! You can read more about sidewalk stamps in this <a href="http://www.miss604.com/2012/10/vancouver-history-sidewalk-stamps.html" target="_blank">piece from Miss604</a>.</div>
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-1032916848368141692017-05-01T15:26:00.004-07:002017-05-01T16:21:36.604-07:00Pender GroceryAnother favourite for photographers in Vancouver is Pender Grocery on West Pender Street near Homer. Pender Grocery is one of only two corner stores in all of downtown Vancouver. It's in an old building that dates from 1908. On the corner is Finch's Tea and Coffee House and just around the corner is Lady Madonna's Thrift Store as well as the Jimi Hendrix Shrine which is located downstairs. The upstairs of the building is home to a backpackers hostel. This photo was taken back in the summer of 2013.<br />
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I should say Pender Grocery was a corner store. When I was downtown earlier in the year I noticed the little storefront was looking a bit bedraggled and it was also looking very closed. So Pender Grocery is no more. But on the weekend I happened to come across a story in the Vancouver Sun and the old store is being renovated and will eventually reopen as a boutique grocery store.<br />
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In the process of renovating the new shopkeepers discovered an old sign on the wall. It was a very old ad for The Vancouver Daily World newspaper. The wall was actually an exterior wall that was part of the building next door. So the sign had been covered up since 1908. You can read all about it this <a href="http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/a-lost-world-re-emerges-on-pender-street" target="_blank">great piece</a> by John Mackie of the Vancouver Sun. The new Pender Grocery also happens to have an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/penderstgrocery/" target="_blank">Instagram account</a> so you can also view their photos as well. It will be great to see what the new store looks like when it reopens and hopefully I'll be able to get a shot of that old sign too!<br />
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-13033717095593529382017-04-18T10:59:00.003-07:002021-03-25T11:18:38.718-07:00B&K GroceryB&K is another old school corner store in East Vancouver who's glory days have been over for a while now. Tucked away at East 34th Avenue and Nanaimo the building has been around for over a century. It's one of those little places I wasn't really aware of until I found a used copy of <a href="https://www.michaelkluckner.com/index.html" target="_blank">Michael Kluckner's</a> book Vanishing Vancouver back in 2008. Today a look with Street View reveals the store was probably open up until around 2010. Since then it's been vacant.<br />
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There was some good news back in 2016 as a developer had bought the property with the intention of restoring the store and then adding some townhomes. The building would have got Heritage status and would be a neighbourhood cafe. This model has proven successful with other old corner stores around the city. You can read more about the plan in this <a href="http://www.straight.com/news/719146/century-old-east-vancouver-convenience-store-set-rebirth-neighbourhood-cafe" target="_blank">article</a> in the Georgia Straight. The City also approved the rezoning of the property last year. But when I was by recently I saw a "For Sale" sign up which seemed a bit odd. So it looks like the original developer has had second thoughts about the project. Here's an old photo from 2009 when the store was still open.<br />
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The building apparently dates from 1918 but a realtor's info lists it as being from 1912. Either way the place has been around a very long time and it would be great to see it open again. According to the article in the Georgia Straight it had been B&K Grocery since 1968 and was owned by the Mah family who lived upstairs. Hopefully a new buyer will step up and will move forward with the development including the restoration of the old store!</div>
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Looking through the front window of the store back in 2012</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">March 2021 - I just thought I better post an update as work began in early 2020 on the redevelopment of the store and property. I think a new owner took over as the store and lot had essentially been abandoned for many years. The project is now called <a href="https://centuryhouse.ca/" target="_blank">Century House</a> and it looks like the townhouses are nearing completion!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3Oofyt1TCHTkwYNdlIW1lQtcR_NS7m85o2OTnNxpvgsf8wNoUhcBVlbyRG3ZFeqX2KbWMQFlKkzMB1TqgweobRxbWWMZmv0z8lJNvDxWaYtvSd6OvnwuNd6UINwbin8l33jTov59eao/s800/Century-IMG_0137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3Oofyt1TCHTkwYNdlIW1lQtcR_NS7m85o2OTnNxpvgsf8wNoUhcBVlbyRG3ZFeqX2KbWMQFlKkzMB1TqgweobRxbWWMZmv0z8lJNvDxWaYtvSd6OvnwuNd6UINwbin8l33jTov59eao/w400-h266/Century-IMG_0137.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-66803911557743290592017-04-12T10:20:00.001-07:002017-04-12T10:20:31.970-07:00Folkart InteriorsWhen it comes to funky old storefronts Folkart Interiors at 3720 West 10th Avenue near Alma Street is clearly a winner. There aren't very many shops that still bring their wares out onto the sidewalk anymore. It's also nice to see a store without their windows filled with ugly security bars. When I first photographed the place back in 2015 the little strip of three storefronts was for sale. Now in 2017 it looks like nothing has changed too much but maybe rents might have gone up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWcOs5XTLOjoVXnfyJCtJpJ9cneT9DKxfFSgnvLBmW1u1uphOCbyaXEKnNl68Be1rjfI4t5j6e4KPHiZb3DBUx8PZPHdJSoCq2uWysM0lVr_1gkspyw3JZEbE-JUOm3ReJFXPBx4gpzo/s1600/DSCN5659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWcOs5XTLOjoVXnfyJCtJpJ9cneT9DKxfFSgnvLBmW1u1uphOCbyaXEKnNl68Be1rjfI4t5j6e4KPHiZb3DBUx8PZPHdJSoCq2uWysM0lVr_1gkspyw3JZEbE-JUOm3ReJFXPBx4gpzo/s640/DSCN5659.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The building dates from 1925 and the store was originally home to West Point Hardware. The space next door at 3730 was a location for Piggly Wiggly Grocery which was the first self service grocery store chain in Vancouver. You can read more about Piggly Wiggly at <a href="http://www.miss604.com/2013/05/vancouver-history-tidbits-piggly-wiggly.html" target="_blank">Miss604's Blog</a>. I found an old photo in the Vancouver Public Library historical photo collection showing West 10th Avenue back in 1939 (VPL 25001). The storefront that is now Folkart Interiors is behind the old cars. By this time Safeway had taken over the Piggly Wiggly next door. A look with <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/saZzLMqk4D32" target="_blank">Street View</a> finds not too much has changed on this strip of West 10th for a good long time. Let's hope it stays that way!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgcimIBZMRpkvvsS04lTlm0DSBLyDoVXK9Fu0s-dblPpgkUQyao_O_HXjgm_xs7P4DqQLhLOOTKCjig-Txqqx0Z5NwvGeol75V_iXbpv4KBLA9CKiQ2Dw0B2pdBJfFztj42lTOS-PLVw/s1600/West+10th+1939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgcimIBZMRpkvvsS04lTlm0DSBLyDoVXK9Fu0s-dblPpgkUQyao_O_HXjgm_xs7P4DqQLhLOOTKCjig-Txqqx0Z5NwvGeol75V_iXbpv4KBLA9CKiQ2Dw0B2pdBJfFztj42lTOS-PLVw/s400/West+10th+1939.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-85707879664063201892017-03-31T09:19:00.002-07:002020-03-04T13:28:27.206-08:00Vernon Drive GroceryWithout a doubt the most photographed corner store in Vancouver must be Vernon Drive Grocery in Strathcona. Do a search on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=vernon%20drive%20grocery&view_all=1" target="_blank">Flickr</a> or an image search on Google and you'll find countless photos of the old store. And for good reason as it looks like not much has changed about the place in many decades! If you happen to stop by the store around sunset you could be transported back in time to <a href="https://www.equinoxgallery.com/artists/portfolio/fred-herzog" target="_blank">Fred Herzog's</a> Vancouver when corner stores and their colourful signage where everywhere. The place is pretty old as buildings on the property date from 1901. No doubt back in the day the store did well with Admiral Seymour Elementary School being right across the street. A City Directory search found the store had been home to numerous businesses over the years. In 1915 it was John Craig Confectionary, in 1936 it was BH Corkill Grocer, and in 1952 it was Tom and Gwen Confectionary and Grocer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gdchVE8bPMUDEnRTS78Ne2qsOj4HoAOCock9z5rA6OO5tamwtFfQImLjCMC2jzb2rB3I7nIWpiK2c9uMM9TeU021Y1GaW6_1TqUQVSrvEve-7FBOzACdSMmsVp_shOcJK3OgmmiNMXk/s1600/DSCN0617.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gdchVE8bPMUDEnRTS78Ne2qsOj4HoAOCock9z5rA6OO5tamwtFfQImLjCMC2jzb2rB3I7nIWpiK2c9uMM9TeU021Y1GaW6_1TqUQVSrvEve-7FBOzACdSMmsVp_shOcJK3OgmmiNMXk/s640/DSCN0617.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The signage on the store is also a great example of one of the last <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/nyregion/tracking-privilege-signs-as-they-vanish.html" target="_blank">Privilege Signs</a> in Vancouver. (another great example is Benny's Market on Union Street). These signs go way back and were supplied in this case by Coca-Cola with the shop's name flanked by red button Coke signs on the ends. In case you are wondering the Pepsi signs are non original and are hand painted. They are slightly too big scale wise and the one on the right covers up part of the word Grocery.<br />
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A closeup shot of some of the old metal letters from the store's rusting privilege sign. This sign type looks to be slightly different that the Coca-Cola Goldline program that was used in the United States. Nothing like seeing the old store in great light. I guess that's why it's a favourite for photographers in Vancouver!</div>
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Fast forward a few years since I first posted this back in 2017 and a few things have changed at Vernon Drive Grocery. In the summer of 2019 the old place got a facelift with a fresh coat of paint as the property had been put up for sale. I liked the fading colours and patina of the store's old signs but it was really starting to look a bit run down.<br />
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Now in 2020 it seems the store's days are numbered. At least in its current state. There was a piece done by Mike McCardell of CTV News on the Last Word the other night. Here's a <a href="https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1914217&jwsource=cl" target="_blank">link</a> to watch it!</div>
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-74059130102035689962017-03-07T12:34:00.001-08:002017-03-13T18:50:32.916-07:00Storefronts on Victoria DriveWhen it comes to parts of the city that have been holding out from gentrification Victoria Drive is the final frontier. The stretch of stores and businesses that run from 33rd down to 43rd Avenue is truly a big mix of asian influences. No trendy cafe's or foodie type eateries around here. There is a Starbucks near 41st and a Dairy Queen down at 34th but for the most part Victoria Drive is pretty unique compared to other streets in the city. Although many of the buildings are relatively new and undistinguished there are still a few old ones left that have been around for a very long time. One little strip that caught my eye is on the 5700 block on the East side of Victoria near 42nd Avenue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF4nZHXQ2KtLMAJVHSVhX38lYWtrIHZ_urs0mkOhb4M9Fcp_m0qoRNsrGP1vCI2pRHYguni6UIx6Td6tWyn846_gBTCOmipsuHiJsA72nsjsI8je2iFwP1f5HYuUYh-GR7xM5MrnzFf4/s1600/DSCN5157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF4nZHXQ2KtLMAJVHSVhX38lYWtrIHZ_urs0mkOhb4M9Fcp_m0qoRNsrGP1vCI2pRHYguni6UIx6Td6tWyn846_gBTCOmipsuHiJsA72nsjsI8je2iFwP1f5HYuUYh-GR7xM5MrnzFf4/s640/DSCN5157.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Today this little building is home to three different shops. They are the Flying Dragon Hair Salon, the Kim Phung Restaurant, and the Princess Beauty and Figure Salon. The building itself dates from 1950 although to me it looks much older. A search through the City Directory for 1955 lists the businesses as Howe's Men's Wear at 5762, the Victoria Coffee Bar at 5764, and Rosamund's Florist at 5766. The old sign above Kim Phung's dates from a much earlier time and with its distinctive shape no doubt housed a Coca Cola sign. I'm going to have to get back for a straight on shot of these colourful storefronts. But this part of Victoria Drive is very busy in the late afternoon when the light is nice and there are always cars parked out front. Maybe an early morning run is in order!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYb1163OpF7TesFMC1PBr6BNZ7KhEZPqBAMcNvsiu0_WKOAumCUBn78c6QaZw0bmZfdMujUZpK0eQj9-oWcuALMWTuwAzjnkoIfEk6h5lWd-GEPXf86GwrR8vO7pa5qwp54P_LoLxvgc/s1600/DSCN5155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYb1163OpF7TesFMC1PBr6BNZ7KhEZPqBAMcNvsiu0_WKOAumCUBn78c6QaZw0bmZfdMujUZpK0eQj9-oWcuALMWTuwAzjnkoIfEk6h5lWd-GEPXf86GwrR8vO7pa5qwp54P_LoLxvgc/s400/DSCN5155.jpg" width="400" /></a>JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1307813730295700072.post-38543403747641208092017-02-28T12:23:00.000-08:002017-07-05T11:19:56.478-07:00The Fox CinemaLooking around Main Street today it's hard to believe the Fox has been gone for 4 years already. It was back in early 2013 that a "For Lease" sign went up at 2321 Main Street. The Fox was the city's last theatre to show XXX adult movies and had been doing so since 1983. In recent years I'm not sure how they made a go of it. In all the time I've been in the neighbourhood I really don't remember ever seeing many people frequenting the place. It was a pretty quiet looking on the outside but the exterior belied the unsavory activities taking place inside the theatre. This was brought to light before renovations began and photos of the interior were posted on the web and to social media. The interior was truly a bit of a biohazard as CSI type <a href="http://www.whatsupmann.com/2013/07/the-fox-theatre-before-the-renovation/" target="_blank">photos</a> lit with blacklight clearly attest to!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMxt136YA2jmFGcGLPurCUoL_qzCncAQnEIZPXopyReocPjdJS5AVU3U-_imm_-3f2-uy-SA6CmQuxIRa-6gQ7TzpqWCJYJe4EpxKsty0Ee2Y0Ih2d8D3fxPeY2gZHkddqltxfcpLV98/s1600/DSCN1702-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMxt136YA2jmFGcGLPurCUoL_qzCncAQnEIZPXopyReocPjdJS5AVU3U-_imm_-3f2-uy-SA6CmQuxIRa-6gQ7TzpqWCJYJe4EpxKsty0Ee2Y0Ih2d8D3fxPeY2gZHkddqltxfcpLV98/s640/DSCN1702-2013.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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But after extensive renovations and lot's of hard work the theatre re-opened as the <a href="http://www.foxcabaret.com/" target="_blank">Fox Cabaret</a> in the spring of 2014. Since then the area around Main and Broadway has changed quite a bit. With all the condos being built nearby the neighbourhood seems be going a bit more upscale. The closure of Reno's Restaurant in late 2015 also signalled a distinct shift in the hood. Also the arrival of Hootsuite software basing its operations close by is bringing about even more change. I'm not sure what all the new folks would have thought about the old Fox Cinema. But warts and all I kind of miss the old place as to me it was just part of the neighbourhood with its signed Ron Jeremy 8x10 photo in the window!<br />
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<br />JohnAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00576762363832002500noreply@blogger.com0