Sally's Cake House

This is another older shot taken back in 2012. Empty storefronts are an ever increasing problem in Vancouver's Chinatown these days. A look with Google Street View reveals Sally's was probably closed as far back as 2009. Changing demographics, skyrocketing real estate prices, and zoning changes from City Hall all seem to threaten the fabric of Chinatown. Before Christmas the National Post had an excellent article which had an in depth look at Vancouver's Chinatown. Today we're seeing an influx of new businesses which is a good thing but at the same time the charm of the area is slowly disappearing.





























The space at Sally's was vacant for many years but in the summer of 2016 it was taken over by Klaus's Kaffee Haus. If you read the National Post article Klaus took great strides to try and fit into the neighbourhood. Unfortunately much of the new construction the City has recently allowed doesn't really fit in with the rest of the neighbourhood. Parts of Main Street now look more like Yaletown than Chinatown. Only time will tell what the future holds for this historic part of the city.

Neptoon Records

This colourful storefront is on Main Street at East 20th Avenue. Neptoon is Vancouver's oldest independent record store and has been around since 1981. The teal colour of the building has been around long before Neptoon moved in though. When I first arrived in Vancouver in the late 80's I remember this as the location of Exotic World which was a personal museum for Harold and Barbara Morgan. Somehow I never visited the place but saw it later on when the contents were taken over by Alexander Lamb Antiques down at Main and 17th Avenue. You can read an old article about Exotic World by The Tyee here. Makes you think how much cooler Main Street would be if Exotic World was still around!

Penny Grocery

Poor old Penny Grocery at 2934 Kingsway is another old corner store that didn't make it. From what I can figure it probably closed its doors back in 2010. No doubt the Town Pantry at the Chevron station right next door sealed its fate. A one stop shop for drivers getting gas was probably just more convenient than having to walk and extra 20 feet to buy something at Penny.

What is remarkable about the store is its old 7up sign which is still there today. Although there are a few old Coke signs still left around Vancouver there aren't many 7up signs. This is one of only three left around town. The others are the former Olympic Grocery at 16th and Heather Street and Cardero Grocery in the West End. The sign is most likely from the early 1960's but the 7up logo with bubbles dates from the 1950's. The owners of the property might not realize it but signs of that vintage are selling in the $650 range per side!

The Nelson Cafe

This is an older photo from the summer of 2009 and shows yet another piece of old Vancouver that's just a memory now. The building was at 655 Nelson Street just South East of Granville behind the old Kripps Pharmacy. Both were torn down as there was a push to remake Granville Street before the arrival of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Looking back in the City Directories the building that housed the cafe had many occupants over the years. In 1932 it was the Belmont Cleaners (no doubt servicing the Belmont Hotel just across the street), in 1940 it was the location of Dom Taxi Ltd, and in 1952 it was the home of Dey's Glass Works. If you look at this link in Google Street View the new building is more modern and functional but is incredibly bland and characterless. This is an all too common problem with many new buildings in the city.

Fields on Fraser Street

This is another older photo taken shortly before the store closed back in 2012. Fields was part of a discount department store chain that was owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. In late 2011 HBC decided to shutter all 141 of its Fields stores across Canada. Too bad as the store was kind of unique to Vancouver with it's retro styled triangular plastic letters! Today the store is a Fruiticana produce shop which is part of a chain which operates in BC and Alberta.

Joe's Cafe

After reading about the impending closure of Wonderbucks it got me thinking about some of the older establishments on Commercial Drive. One of the more iconic places is Joe's Cafe that first opened back in 1976. But if you walk down The Drive today you'll notice one thing missing from Joe's, the younger generation. It seems that younger folk are happier in the more upscale and zen like Cafe Moja just down the street. Times are changing on The Drive. After having a look at The Drive via Google Street View I came up with a short list of shops that have disappeared in recent years including The Peg, Drive Organics, Dream Designs, Latin Quarter, Urban Empire, Florida Market, the Kitchen Corner, Leiria Cafe, Renzo's Tailors, and most recently Bikes on the Drive. Hopefully Joe's will continue to hang in there as The Drive just wouldn't be The Drive without Joe's Cafe!

Wonderbucks

Good old Wonderbucks is a bit of an institution on Commercial Drive. But I recently came across some bad news in an article in the Vancouver Sun. Due to skyrocketing rent the owner is going to close the store in early 2017. The rent is almost doubling from it's present level and will be over $27,000 a month. This is really bad news for Commercial Drive as it will probably mean that more independent retailers will likely have to move on. Another reason to worry that was mentioned in the article is the City approving the Grandview-Woodlands Community Plan. This allows for much higher density which is already driving up property values along The Drive. The CBC also did a story on Wonderbucks.





























Hopefully who ever takes over the space at Wonderbucks will leave the exterior tile work alone as years ago the store used to be the Crystal Dairy. The image was taken in 1946 by photographer Don Coltman. Vancouver Archives CVA 586-4178.



Update : This photo was taken in late January of 2017 just a few days before Wonderbucks closed for good. I went in for a last look around but there wasn't much left. Sad times on The Drive!

Storefront Vancouver - The Book

Update : My short run of Storefront Vancouver books is now sold out! Currently working on a new and updated version.

Yes it's true! I decided to put together a little book about Storefront Vancouver. I've tried to cover all the bases including both East and West sides of the city. There are also sections on Corner Stores as well as a "Then and Now" comparison of how some stores have changed in recent years. Some places looked at a little more in depth include Chinatown, Tosi & Company, The Smile Diner, Knowltons Drugs, The Only Seafoods and more!

The book is 88 pages long and is 6 x 9 inches in the popular Trade format. Right now I just did a short run which is available at an affordable price at Pulpfiction Books!

Hassan Tailor and Launderama

The heavily fortified storefront on East Broadway at Fraser Street dates from 1931. According to artist and historian Michael Kluckner the old house in the back with the Launderama is positively ancient as it dates from 1897. The old sign out front for the laundromat is also very old and is now extremely faded. I'm guessing it's from the 1960's. It doesn't light up anymore but it's aways great to see an old sign around town.

Fast forward to April 2017 and the Launderama has closed and Hassan's is living on borrowed time. A developer has bought the three buildings at the South East corner at Fraser and East Broadway and a new building is in the works.

Pizzeria Farina

Located in the notorious Cobalt Hotel, Pizzeria Farina has almost made the old place respectable since it opened back in 2011. When I first moved to Vancouver in the late 80's I seem to remember the spot being Mom's Kitchen and it looked plenty rough around the edges. Over the years countless cafe's and eateries have tried their luck in the little space but nothing lasted very long until Pizzeria Farina came along. In recent years the bar at the Cobalt dispensed with it's punk scene and the open walkway through to the parking lot has been closed off and turned into a little bar called The Boxcar. But sadly times have not changed in the Cobalt Hotel itself where people are still living in dangerous and substandard conditions.

The Purple Rainbow Florist

The Purple Rainbow is tucked away up on Fraser Street near East 47th Avenue. The building dates from the late 1920's and was once a corner store. Up until the late 1990's the store was called Harry's Produce when it was then converted into a florist shop. If you visit the store today and look closely you'll notice the very bottom panels closest to the sidewalk are in fact old embossed 7up signs that have been painted over. Too bad as the signs would be worth quite a bit today!

Carrall Street Church

This old building near Pigeon Park was in the news recently as it suffered seriously structural damage during an unauthorized demolition right next door on November 2nd of 2016. The Gospel Mission Society has been in the building since the 1940's and Wing's Cafe has been going since the 1950's. The building is much older and dates from 1889. For a time it was home to the Louvre Hotel. On the alley side of the building are some fabulous ghost signs which are probably the oldest in Vancouver. One advertises beds up the alley for 20 Cents a night. The others are for the Louvre Saloon. Unfortunately the damage to the building looks pretty serious so we'll have to wait and see if it can be repaired.

A photo taken on November 4th 2016 after work was stopped on the demo of the building next door.

And a photo of part of the fabulous ghost signs in the alley.

Pirate Joe's

Update June 8th 2017 : Owner Mike Hallatt has announced he's closing Pirate Joe's. Read more about it in this piece in the Vancouver Sun.

This is the old location of Pirate Joe's on West 4th Avenue photographed at the beginning of 2016. The store has since relocated to West 10th near Alma as a developer bought the 4th Avenue building in 2015 and evicted all the long time tenants. For the unfamiliar, Pirate Joe's is the unauthorized reseller of Trader Joe's merchandise bought legally in Washington State and then brought over the line back to Vancouver. The owner of the store Mike Hallatt has since been banned from buying at Trader Joe's and he employs people in the states to shop for him. There's been an ongoing legal battle with Trader Joe's suing Hallatt. The media in the US and the Uk seem quite taken with the David vs Goliath story. You can see a recent video from he BBC here. Update November 3rd : finally a story by our own local media!

The Custom Bronze Foundry

Update : January 2017. I guess I spoke too soon as I was by Venables and Clark Drive and saw the little building has a "For Lease" sign up now. It's also been repainted a rather dull shade of grey which you can see here. So who knows what's next for this funky little shop.

This colourful little building is tucked away on Clark Drive near Venables Street. So far the gentrification going on in East Vancouver hasn't caught up with this spot just yet as it hasn't been turned into a coffee shop, micro brewery, or more typically a marijuana dispensary. A city directory from 1950 lists the business as Clark Drive Handy Shop which dealt in machine parts. Hopefully the old place will stick around for at least a few more years.

Scott's Market

Seen on Victoria Drive in February of 2014 shortly before it closed its doors. At one time Victoria Drive had quite a collection of corner stores but they all gradually disappeared and Scott's was the last one. Apparently the long time owners retired and sold the building. Today the space is being used by The Found and the Freed an antiques and collectables shop.

Wow Security

At 779 Kingsway has been the location of various restaurants and eateries over the years. It's one of those rare spots where there's a house hidden away in behind the storefront. Lately there's a city Development Application in the window. Being Vancouver, someone wants to turn it into a marijuana dispensary.

Royal Furniture

This was the last incarnation of the store seen in early 2013 on Main Street near East 10th Avenue. At this point I don't think it was really Royal Furniture anymore as the space had been empty for a while. It was really a bit of junk store but they left up the old sign and awning. The way Vancouver is changing seeing a good old fashioned junk store is a bit of a rarity now. The store has since been renovated and is now home to Denman Bikes.

Molly's Coffee Shop

This is an old photo taken back in the fall of 2004. Molly's is of course gone now but it was one of the last links to False Creek's industrial past. According to painter and historian Michael Kluckner this was actually a converted house. In 1952 it first opened as the Industrial Coffee Shop on Columbia Street near West 2nd Avenue. Molly's closed for good on June 29th of 2007 and was demolished on May 29th 2009 to expand the Mitsubishi car dealership across the street. You can see a shot of the interior here. Vancouver would be a much better place if Molly's was still around!

Laura's Coffee Shop

Laura's at Manitoba Street and 4th Avenue is the last old school eatery in Lower Mount Pleasant. The surrounding neighbourhood has been "discovered" and is changing very quickly. Once an enclave of light industrial and warehouse businesses, software and fashion companies are moving in and property values and rents are skyrocketing. A little operation like Laura's is ripe for redevelopment. But so far there's no indication the eatery is going anywhere soon.

New World Designs

This is a great looking storefront on West Cordova Street in Gastown. The store is in the Arlington Block which dates from 1887. According to their website New World has been operating in Vancouver for 27 years. But look out as Versace Home has set up shop right next door. Today it seems like Vancouver's retail stores are going in a totally high end direction forcing out many smaller operations along the way.

Living Waters Mission

Just next door to Maurel Paint & Hardware on East Hastings Street is the Living Waters Mission. It's hard to miss with it's colourful storefront. It provides weekly Christian services for the neighbourhood. Last time I walked by there was a dog sleeping in the front window!

Maurel Paint & Hardware

It's becoming quite a rare sight to see a small independent paint and hardware store these days. Especially with the big box stores like Home Depot and Rona around. Years ago Maurel used to be in the Heatley Block just a block away on Hastings Street. But the building was sold and the space is now an upscale eatery. Here's an old photo of their window from 2012.

Powell Street Strip

This stretch of Powell Street and it's empty storefronts in the mid 300 block has so far escaped the wave of gentrification that has been sweeping across the Downtown Eastside into Railtown. But given the way the city is changing I guess it's only a matter of time before this area gets discovered.

Corner Store Memory

Corner stores are becoming few and far between around Vancouver these days. This was Kayz Korner on Victoria Drive and  East 22nd Avenue shortly before it was demolished in the spring of 2015. It was one of those unique places as the store and the house were linked together. At the end of the day the shop keeper could just lock the front door and then retire into the house. Today many old corner stores are being reinvented as cafes and eateries. Too bad this couldn't have happened with Kayz.

Adult XXX

This is a 2011 shot of the storefront at 141 East Hastings Street. The store is a real oldie as the building dates from 1919. A city directory from the late 1940's lists the occupant as The Economy Store a purveyor of men's furnishings. The XXX store has since closed its doors as this stretch of Hastings Street is a bit rough with the Insite safe injection site right next door.

No Way Cafe

I photographed this little cafe on Main Street back in the summer of 2015. It's a tiny little space and is right across the street from the Law Courts near Cordova Street. Sadly it looks like the cafe has now closed its doors. But after a little searching on the address I found that for decades this space was a barber shop. It was actually the location for a couple of Fred Herzog's famous barber shop images!

Burcu's Angels II

I finally got around to photographing this great old storefront on Main Street. It's a place I've walked by many times over the years but some how never got around to photographing. The building dates from 1929 and for many years was home to Mount Pleasant Locksmiths. I'm glad I waited as the storefront has now been repainted with much brighter colours. Burcu's has been on Main Street for over 20 years. Check out this story here.

Dressew

Nothing like a blast of colour at Dressew Supply at 337 West Hastings Street. The store has that vintage department store feel to it because years ago it was one! Back in the 1970's the store was a Fields and was part of their department store chain.

Colour on Carrall Street

This is the Lim Sai Hor Association Building which dates from 1903. The rear of the building is equally interesting as it faces what is left of Shanghai Alley. The red vinyl in the window was installed for some filming of Amazon's Man in the High Castle and was never removed. Now in 2017 the building is undergoing extensive renovations and the storefronts are now hidden from view.

Chinatown Supermarket

Pictured here in late 2014 when the store on Keefer Street was a growing concern. The store has since closed and has been empty for some time. Vancouver's Chinatown is now threatened with a wave of gentrification and new tower developments which have dramatically increased land values and property taxes for local merchants. Fast forward to 2017 and the space is still empty!

Ming Wo

Ming Wo Cookware has been at 23 East Pender Street since 1917. For years there has been an awning on the front of the building. But for a while in late 2016 and early 2017 it had been taken down revealing some wonderful hand painted lettering on the upper windows! A new awning has since been installed.

Update in January 2020, sadly due to problems in the neighbourhood the family made the decision to close the flagship store in Chinatown. The three other store locations are unaffected and will remain open. More info in this piece in the Vancouver Sun.

Welcome

This is a photo blog dedicated to documenting classic storefronts in Vancouver, B.C.
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