Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Neighborhood Walk:
Main Street Shop Hop
START
NEPTOON RECORDS
END
SHAMEFUL TIKI ROOM
LENGTH
1KM, ONE TO THREE HOURS
Vancouver's hippest strip is ideal for those who like to browse in some of the
city's coolest indie stores.
Hop off southbound bus number 3 around 18th Ave. Start at indie-favorite
Neptoon Records
(
Click here
)
for some cool vinyl that's way more hip than you
are. Then, nip across the street to the smashing little designer shop
Smoking
Lily
(
Click here
)
- especially if you're an intellectual clotheshorse. The staff here
is ever-friendly and they'll have plenty of additional suggestions for what to see
on your walk.
Further south, you can can dip into the vintage clothing racks at
Front &
Company
(
Click here
). If you've always wanted a 1950s crushed-velvet smoking
jacket to wear with your jeans, this is the place to find it. But it's not only togs: the
store does a cool line in kitsch giftware, too. At this point, you should also begin to
notice your surroundings: check the painted wall murals on the sides of many
buildings just off Main and look out for the steaming coffee cup motifs em-
blazened in the sidewalk concrete.
From here, re-cross to the west side of the street and if it's time to eat, join the
throng at the popular neighborhood restaurant
Crave
(
Click here
)
. Consider a
seat on the hidden patio.
Across the street you'll find one of the city's most eclectic stores, the
Re-
gional Assembly of Text
(
Click here
)
, where you can indulge your fetish for
sumptuous writing paper, old-fashioned typewriters and all manner of stationery
items. Pick the right day for your visit and join the hipsters at the monthly letter-
writing social club.
Continue south to the area's other top indie record shop
Red Cat Records
(
Click here
)
. Peruse the CDs and vinyl and ask the staff for tips on who to see in
town - tickets are available here for area shows. End your crawl with a cocktail at
the delightful
Shameful Tiki Room
(
Click here
)
.
