Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It's worth spending some time browsing the close-packed shelves for that unexpected
item: Meinhardt's is one of the only places in the city where you'll find Turkish delight,
example. But it's not all high-end prices: treat yourself to a $2.95 smiley-face cookie
and savor it as you stroll down the street.
SHOP COCOON
CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES
(
www.shopcocoon.com
;
3345 Cambie St; 11am-7pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun; 15)
An
idyllic little white-painted store showcasing the carefully curated dresses and jewelry of
local designers and artisans; some Vancouverites are fully addicted to this Cambie Vil-
lage nook. There's also a serious line in handmade soap, artfully presented on antique
bookcases. Famously friendly, ask the staff for tips on other stores to check out around
the city.
BACCI'S
HOMEWARES, CLOTHING
(
www.baccis.ca
;
2788 Granville St; 9:45am-5:45pm Mon-Sat; 10)
Combining designer
women's (and some men's) clothing on one side and a room full of hard-to-resist
trinkets piled high on antique wooden tables on the other, Bacci's is a dangerous place
to browse. Before you know it, you'll have an arm full of chunky luxury soaps, em-
broidered cushions and picture-perfect coffee pots to fit in your suitcase.
It's hard to miss the store from the outside: it has more stripes than a Paul Smith
dress shirt. But note the bulls-eye target on the south side: it marks the spot where sev-
eral cars have crashed into the store over the years.
UMBRELLA SHOP
OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT
(
www.theumbrellashop.com
;
1106 W Broadway; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat; 10)
If you've lived
for more than a few months in Vancouver (or if you've been unlucky with the weather
on your visit), you'll know the value of a good umbrella. This family-owned local com-
pany does, too. This is their factory store and they make and repair their own brands
here but also sell a wide selection of imported umbrellas.
Now's the time to stop buying a different umbrella every year, and leaving it in
crumbled heap of broken spokes after a few months. Expect to pay a few dollars more
and also ask the friendly staffers for some handy tips about longevity (it's all about how
you put it away).
