Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SHOPPING
The neighborhood's retail lure lies in its unique clothing and accessories
boutiques: this is Vancouver's must-see area for locally owned independ-
ent stores. Many showcase the exciting creative skills of hot regional de-
signers, but there's also some tasty treats to scoff along the way, plus
some perfect spots to buy that souvenir that no-one else will have back
home. The two main shopping areas on Main are around the Broadway in-
tersection and past the intersection with 18th Ave - this second area is
full of options and is especially recommended.
REGIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TEXT
ARTS & CRAFTS
(
www.assemblyoftext.com
;
3934 Main St; 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; 3)
This
ironic antidote to the digital age lures ink-stained locals with its journals, handmade
pencil boxes and T-shirts printed with typewriter motifs. Check out the tiny under-the-
stairs gallery showcasing zines from around the world, and don't miss the monthly
letter-writing club (7pm, first Thursday of every month), where you can sip tea, munch
cookies and hammer away on vintage typewriters.
If you have time, make your own pin badge or just browse the racks of hyper-cool
greetings cards mostly fashioned by the store's friendly, art-school-grad co-owners.
One of Vancouver most original stores, check out the little array of handmade self-pub-
lished minibooks near the front window - where else can you read
One Shrew Too Few
and
Secret Thoughts of a Plain Yellow House
?
SMOKING LILY
CLOTHING
(
www.smokinglily.com
;
3634 Main St; 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; 3)
Art-school
cool rules here, with skirts, belts and halter-tops whimsically accented with prints of
ants, bicycles and the periodic table. Men's clothing is also (a smaller) part of the mix,
with fish, skull and tractor T-shirts. It's hard to imagine a better souvenir than the silk
