Inside Vancouver

Portobello West Art Market To Open Just Four Times a Year

by Dana Lynch in Shop on February 21, 2012

Photo: Portobello West

Portobello West, Vancouver’s monthly arts and fashion market and one of the top spots to shop for local and independent fashion in Vancouver, has been around since 2006, first at the Rocky Mountaineer Station, then at Creekside Community Centre in the Olympic Village (since March 2011), where it has been operating on the last Sunday of every month.

But its new(ish) high-traffic digs aren’t helping Portobello West’s vendors. According to The Georgia Straight, customers’ propensity to “wait and see what they have next month” is hurting the artists’ and artisans’ bottom line.

So Portobello West is changing their schedule in an effort to help their vendors:

Continue reading:
Portobello West Art Market To Open Just Four Times a Year

The Changing Face of South Granville – Big Brands Transform South Granville Shopping

by Dana Lynch in Shop on February 14, 2012

Eileen Fisher's first Canadian store opened on South Granville in August 2011. Photo: Dana Lynch

The last ten years have seen huge changes in most Vancouver neighbourhoods. Gentrification and development have made once “seedy” neighbourhoods hip and trendy (see: SoMa, Lower Mount Pleasant), created brand-new residential areas (like the Olympic Village), and transformed certain districts so thoroughly that, if you hadn’t seen them in ten years, you wouldn’t recognize them.

One such district is South Granville, the shopping and entertainment district in Fairview that extends from the Granville Street Bridge to 16th Ave. Known best for its art galleries (hence the famous moniker “Gallery Row,”), restaurants (West Restaurant and Vij’s are both in South Granville), and the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, South Granville has been developing its reputation as a major Vancouver shopping destination for many years. In the last five years alone, South Granville has transformed from an eclectic collection of mostly independent shops into a kind of Robson Street for yuppies.

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The Changing Face of South Granville – Big Brands Transform South Granville Shopping

Chinatown retail therapy: New boutiques and classic favourites

by Taraneh in Shop on January 27, 2012

The buzzy retail scene in Vancouver’s Chinatown embodies perpetual change of the I Ching. A handful of creative, stylish boutiques recently opened doors alongside the rich array of traditional shops. When you head out to the Chinese New Year festivities this weekend, make sure and check out the evolving shopping experience in one of North America’s largest Chinatowns. With options ranging from recycled leather handbags to artfully curated, minimalist menswear, you won’t want to miss out on the fresh talent.

I’ve listed five Chinatown boutiques for the modern style-seeker below. I’ve also recapped Chinatown’s already established retail faves. Continue reading:
Chinatown retail therapy: New boutiques and classic favourites

Vancouver’s alternative wedding show: “Indie I Do” January 28

by Taraneh in Shop on January 20, 2012

The old-fashioned bride-to-be was once all aflutter in January, planning her big spring wedding and battling her mom. But this is 2012. And edgy, modern couples (you know, the kind who plan together) have something to be excited about too.

Indie I Do, Vancouver’s original independent wedding show, is coming to Main Street’s Heritage Hall, Saturday, January 28. Find out more about the participants, swag giveaways and tickets after the jump. Continue reading:
Vancouver’s alternative wedding show: “Indie I Do” January 28

Get your old stuff valued by an Antiques Roadshow personality at the flea market Sunday, Jan. 15

by Taraneh in Shop on January 13, 2012

Is that vintage bauble costume jewellery or real bling? Should you yard sale that ceramic vase or use it to fund your retirement?

Find out whether your junk is the real deal at the 21st Century Flea Market, Sunday, January 15 at Commercial Drive’s Croatian Cultural Centre. Not only will there be heaps of collectibles and home decor, Canadian Antiques Roadshow appraiser Gale Pirie will be on hand to tell you what your old stuff is worth.

Find out more about what’s for sale and how to get your possessions appraised below. Continue reading:
Get your old stuff valued by an Antiques Roadshow personality at the flea market Sunday, Jan. 15

Portobello West Art Market To Open Just Four Times a Year

The Changing Face of South Granville – Big Brands Transform South Granville Shopping

Chinatown retail therapy: New boutiques and classic favourites

Vancouver’s alternative wedding show: “Indie I Do” January 28

Get your old stuff valued by an Antiques Roadshow personality at the flea market Sunday, Jan. 15

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