jamierin

We are getting very excited for our trip to Vancouver this summer. I am looking to get a list together of some ool shops for my teenage daughter. We live in Toronto, so we have (and enjoy) Aritzia already. We also have Lululemon, Holt's, The Bay, Sear's etc. What i am looking for are places that an only be found in BC or western Canada. Thanks a lot.

sludick

I won't be your best source. Assume you already have targeted the Robson St. area for shopping. Really just wanted to tell you that one of the most enjoyable shopping experiences I ever had was in Toronto. I spent a week there on business, and in the afternoons, wandered underground and up into some of the stores aboveground.

Exchange rate was favorable for me at the time (US), but it was also just the concentration of stores, the unique underground (and clean, safe feeling area) that appealed. I love Vancouver, but cannot recall seeing any stores that Toronto does not have, other than Pacific Rim souvenir shops and sushi houses.

Didn't mean to be so negative, am hoping some others can offer substantial suggestions to my uninspired comments. But even if Vancouver doesn't have any new stores to entice you, the entire downtown area has such a feeling to it - guess it's the ocean and mountains, cannot quite explain it.

Southam

You will be surrounded by one of the world's most spectacular and wondrous landscapes, from ocean harbour to mountain ski hill. Put your purse away, look up and walk around.
To be less harsh, the merchandising you don't already have in Toronto may be mostly First Nations artifacts, crafts and tourist trinkets. Beyond that, Vancouver is the home of Tilley Hats http://www.tilley.com/?lang=en-GB and big outdoors gear stores such as Mountain Equipment Co-op http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text....34374302887038 But both chains have outlets in Toronto too. For an absolute mall addict, the Pacific Centre is convenient in the middle of downtown. http://www.pacificcentre.ca/en/Pages/default.aspx
For pure shopping delight, coax her to the Granville Island fish and vegetable market, a mouth-watering place that typifies this ocean city's connection to the sea. Craftsmen have workshops there too. http://granvilleisland.com/

Sam_Salmon

Main Street from Broadway south to 28th Ave has all kinds of small independent boutiques that will appeal to you both-lots of great places for lunch too.

traveller69

If the weather isn't cooperating and your daughter wants to shop you could hop on Skytrain and get off at Metrotown station. The Metropolis mall is huge (2nd largest in Canada) so you may find some different shops there. Check their website in advance to see if it has any appeal.
http://www.metropolisatmetrotown.com/

jamierin

Thanks so much for the responses.

Sludick - I love Toronto shopping too because we have everything, and lots of fun boutiques - but I rarely get to spend the time looking around. When I am on holiday, I have that time! Funny about that - most of my most memorable clothing purchases are when I was away.

Southam - I intend to look up once in a while The reality is that I am with a teen girl who likes to shop a little, and that's okay with me because she works hard all year to have a little cash for the summer. Tilley isn't her style...yet!! Thanks for the tip on Granville.

Sam - Salmon - thanks and this strip is on the list!

traveller 69 - thanks for the mall tip - we are close to Pacific Centre though so if the weather is yucky and we do a mall - proximity with rule. I will check out the Metropolis directory and see if there is anything there that she would love.

This is great. Keep 'em coming. Anyone know of any Vancouver designers with their own shops that we may visit?

Sam_Salmon

<i>"Anyone know of any Vancouver designers with their own shops that we may visit?</i>"

There are a few along Main St but I have no recent info-it's been ages since I was in the rag trade.

BC_Robyn

For Vancouver, I honestly wouldn't even bother with Robson Street - it's all the same shops you get in Toronto. Likewise Pacific Centre Mall - it's the same! There might be one unique shop you don't have in Toronto (Plenty: http://www.getplenty.com/) but I wouldn't waste your time otherwise.

Definitely agree with Sam_Salmon's recommendation to visit Main Street. That's the scene you're looking for. Main Street is very long (think of it like going for a stroll down Queen Street West) where some blocks are better shopping blocks than others, but you've got all the unique, one-of-a-kind boutiques on that street, from vintage shops to local designers, to cool restaurants, cafes, record stores, book stores, little grocers, etc.

I'd start at the corner Main Street and E 7th and walk south all the way to about E 28th, then turn around. Give yourselves the whole afternoon, and have lunch there somewhere.

Places you'll probably enjoy:

Front & Company: http://www.frontandcompany.ca/
Eugene Choo: http://www.eugenechoo.com/
The Barefoot Contessa: http://www.thebarefootcontessa.com/
The Lip Lounge: http://theliplounge.tumblr.com/
Umeboshi Shoes: http://www.umeboshishoes.com/

That's just a taste - there are many, many more boutiques worth exploring.

Another area you'll want to visit is Gastown. There are a few local designers with store fronts on Water Street, but a few more tucked away on W Cordova, and along Cambie, and the other side streets. This is the real "it" place right now amongst Vancouver's design community. It'll become evident to you once you're there.

Here's a good directory of the shops worth exploring - almost all are locally-owned, locally-designed, locally-made:

http://www.gastown.org/directory/sho...vices?catid=12

Hope this helps!

jamierin

BC Robyn - Thank you so much!!! This is terrific. I also found a restaurant that I wish to try on Main around Broadway called Charlie's Little Italian.

We are going to do the Fly Over Canada on the last day there, so maybe a walk through Gastown afterwadrs and some lunch there would be good.

Barefoot ontessa looks great, as does plenty and I alsi read about Dream on W Cordova. Thanks again!

jamierin

Main Street keeps looking better and better:

http://muchandlittle.com/

BC_Robyn

Yup, Main Street is full of stores like that. Front & Company, I do think you'll like a lot. For some reason their website doesn't show any of the clothes they have, and clothing is what they specialize in. Weird.

Also look into the Dandelion Records & Emporioum shop: http://dandelionemporium.blogspot.ca/

Vancouver Special might appeal:
http://vanspecial.com/

So might the Regional Assembly of Text:
http://www.assemblyoftext.com/