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.