[Holden West]

Day Out | Vancouver, British Columbia

Main Street, Not Mainstream

By BARBARA KOH
Published: September 16, 2007
The New York Times (http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/travel/16dayout.html?ex=1190606400&en=46a443bfbae17dac&ei=5070&emc=eta1)

MAIN STREET is the metaphorical railroad track in Vancouver (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), British Columbia (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo), dividing its seedier east side from its better-off west. Starting in Skid Row, it squeezes through congested Chinatown, then unfolds past vacant lots, the train station, warehouses, car dealerships and burger drive-throughs.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/09/13/travel/16day450.1.jpg
Jorge Colombo

Continue south a few blocks, though, and the thoroughfare pulls a Jekyll and Hyde act, transforming into a fashion-forward, relaxed destination with a Think Globally, Act Locally vibe.

The South Main area's rise to hipdom began about eight years ago, when designers and artists moved in for the cheap rent, replacing auto body shops, immigrant families, corner groceries and junkyards. Some coffeehouses and vintage-wear stores followed.
Now Main between Broadway and 30th Avenue is a hub of indie flair, creative boutiques, galleries, antiques dealers and restaurants, with the occasional hold-out butcher shop or dentist's office. Nearly every block has a java joint; only one is a Starbucks.

Along Main Street are places like Twigg & Hottie (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154689461175&inline=nyt-classifier) (No. 3671, at 21st Avenue; 604-879-8595; www.twiggandhottie.com (http://www.twiggandhottie.com/)), which highlights clothes of bamboo, hemp and soy fabrics. It's a showcase for 50 Canadian designers.

Nearby, Narcissist (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154689461169&inline=nyt-classifier) (No. 3659; 604-877-1555; www.narcissist.com (http://www.narcissist.com/)) has women's classics, like crisp jackets and little black numbers. The Narcissist's owner, Sara Francoeur, has created the ultimate dress: it can be worn eight ways (185 Canadian dollars, or about $175 at 1.07 Canadian dollars to the United States (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo) dollar).

South Main's grande dame of vintage is Burcu's Angels (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154689461171&inline=nyt-classifier) (No. 2535, near Broadway; 604-874-9773). Outside is its Free Box of clothing up for grabs. Inside is a tornado of tutus, red velvet hats, cowboy boots and tamer garb.

Left-wing politics is the fashion statement at Motherland (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154689461173&inline=nyt-classifier) (No. 2539; 604-876-3426; www.motherlandclothing.com (http://www.motherlandclothing.com/)), where some T-shirts sport Marx and Lenin, Soviet tractors and thick-muscled comrades (25 Canadian dollars). The jewelry, though, is mostly apolitical, like brass pterodactyl earrings (24 dollars) by an itinerant named Keith Long.

One-of-a-kind finds aren't only in fashion. Regional Assembly of Text (No. 3934, near 23rd Street; 604-877-2247; www.assemblyoftext.com (http://www.assemblyoftext.com/)) offers A to Z in magnets, candles and patchwork and lettered tchotchkes.

Photos, sculptures and pottery by local artists are affordably priced at Arts Off Main (216 East 28th Avenue; 604-876-2785; www.artsoffmain.ca (http://www.artsoffmain.ca/)).Around the corner at Voltage (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154689461167&inline=nyt-classifier) (4346 Main Street; 604-709-8214; www.voltageland.com (http://www.voltageland.com/)), an anarchist Toys “R” Us, the urban toys have attitudes (bears bear arms, cherubs wear spiked armor). The Smorkin' Labbit, a vinyl mutant rabbit, dangles a cigarette (54 Canadian dollars).

Noodles, bagels and coffeehouse fare are quick-bite options, but lots of South Main cuisine is worth lingering over. Aurora Bistro (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1154689459169&inline=nyt-classifier)'s presentations are so photogenic that you hate to shatter them with your fork (2420 Main, at Eighth Avenue; 604-873-9944; www.aurorabistro.ca (http://www.aurorabistro.ca/)). The Queen Charlotte halibut, for instance, is expertly roasted and jazzed up with vibrant carrot jus (25 Canadian dollars).

Habit Lounge (No. 2610; 604-877-8582; www.habitlounge.ca (http://www.habitlounge.ca/)) glows with persimmon shades and autumnal décor, and its carrot and brie pirogis (11 Canadian dollars) and other small plates are for sharing. Hefty portions and petrified branches erupting from the walls are Locus Cafe (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/canada/british-columbia/vancouver/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1154654636524&inline=nyt-classifier) signatures (No. 4121, at King Edward Avenue; 604-708-4121; www.locusonmain.com (http://www.locusonmain.com/)).

Some fear that South Main's cool creativity could be its undoing. Developers and big retailers will swoop in, predicts Ehren Salazar, 28, an illustrator. Rents will skyrocket, he says, forcing out small operations like Little Mountain Studios (195 East 26th Avenue; 604-629-8711; www.littlemountainstudios.ca (http://www.littlemountainstudios.ca/)), a gallery he helped start in 2005, near his childhood house.

“It could become the new Robson Street,” Vancouver's version of Fifth Avenue, Mr. Salazar said. “That's not good for us independent artists.”

[someone123]

I've never really been along that stretch of Main Street. I will have to see what it's like. I've been around the parts farther North and where it meets Broadway and it seems kind of nondescript, not quite living up to its name.

I don't think I've ever read an article like this where store owners didn't speculate that developers are going to swoop in en masse and change everything. I like to pretend that people don't think in such simple terms but it's getting harder and harder.

[Kilgore Trout]

I've been around the parts farther North and where it meets Broadway and it seems kind of nondescript, not quite living up to its name.

Main is at its best near Broadway. If you think that's non-descript, you won't be very impressed with the rest of it...

My girlfriend really likes Main St. and, although I can see the charm, I just can't get very excited by it.

[SFUVancouver]

I bought a great bag for my girlfriend for Christmas from Smoking Lily. Main st is even better, in my opinion, around King Edward.

[Nutterbug]

Which is Vancouver's real main north-south street?

I'd say it's Cambie, though it's currently getting killed by the Canada Line construction.

I suppose having Chinatown, Little India and all the artsie shops along it gives Main more character though.

[officedweller]

I think the "problem" with Main St. is that it's not as focussed or concentrated as say, Cambie Village or South Granville or West 4th. The commercial / retail on Main stretches from downtown all the way to 33rd Ave. Even the shopping area on West Broadway is more defined or concentrated - given that there's residential apartments east of the White Spot and to the west.

There are hotspots along Main but you need to know where they are.

[Kilgore Trout]

It's less concentrated than other Vancouver retail districts, but still equivalent to Commercial Drive. The part of Main we're talking about stretches from 7th to 33rd, a distance of about 26 blocks. By contrast, Commercial's retail district runs from Venables to 12th, which is about 19 blocks.

[officedweller]

True, but Commercial is also bisected by the Grandview Cut bridges which provide a demarcation point. All the hip shops and restaurants are several blocks north of that. Main Street seems to drag on and on - Mt. Pleasant - 7th to 16th is the most defined area on Main Street, but a lot of the hipster joints are around 25th (both as others (incl. you) have mentioned above).

[SpongeG]

its a scene unto itself - mainstreeters are the anti-robson streeters

[Kilgore Trout]

its a scene unto itself - mainstreeters are the anti-robson streeters

The only thing more annoying than the oblivious teenagers who flock to Robson Street are the self-consciously anti-establishment people who exist in opposition to it.

[Nutterbug]

The only thing more annoying than the oblivious teenagers who flock to Robson Street are the self-consciously anti-establishment people who exist in opposition to it.

ie. Those who are too poor to afford the upscale shopping on Robson.

[twoNeurons]

The only thing more annoying than the oblivious teenagers who flock to Robson Street are the self-consciously anti-establishment people who exist in opposition to it.

Not to mention those darn antidisestablishmentarianists. (against those against the establishment).

You don't know how long I've waited to use that word in a sentence.

[officedweller]

ie. Those who are too poor to afford the upscale shopping on Robson.

Main Street can be more expensive than Robson!

[Nutterbug]

Main Street can be more expensive than Robson!

I just thought it might be part of the explanation for their gripes, angst and bitter outlook towards life.

[Kilgore Trout]

Those who are too poor to afford the upscale shopping on Robson.

Since when is Lululemon upscale?

[worldwide]

well its more upscale than value village..

main street can get expensive too though, those fashion designer shops are pretty pricy. and antisocial! that shop charges an arm and a leg, but at least they have a miniramp :)

[officedweller]

Agreed, Lululemon is higher middle like Banana Republic. It's not designer high end, but it's higher than SportChek or Coast Mountain (and no self-respecting athlete would buy "designer" athletic wear anyways.)