This funky eastside neighbourhood, known simply as "The Drive" to locals, has a flavour all its own, with artists, writers, poets and other creative types doing their best to keep Vancouver's hippie past alive. Shoppers in this area can look forward to a collection of small, eclectic stores selling everything from new-age books to hand-made drums to cool vintage clothes. Commercial Drive is also a wonderful place to enjoy a coffee- the street is filled with authentic European-style coffee shops and delis. For more information on this area, visit thedrive.ca
Click here for a map to Commercial Drive
Wonderbucks
1803 Commercial Dr.
604.253.0510
www.wonderbucks.com
Funky little hardware store with a twist. Lots of fresh plants and fabulous house wares at even more fabulous prices!
Urban Empire On the Drive
1108 Commercial Dr.
604.254.4700
www.urbanempire.ca
From cutting edge cards, kitsch and collectables to the tacky and the tasteful.
Dream Designs
956 Commercial Dr.
604.254.5012
www.dreamdesigns.ca
100% natural and 100% organic home furnishings and apparel. All products are made locally in Vancouver.
Kalena's Shoe
1526 Commercial Dr.
604.255.3727
www.kalenashoes.com
Kalena's Shoe store featuring very fashionable, very beautiful Italian shoes at very reasonable prices. This place has been in business since 1967 and over the years has expanded into two adjoining storefronts. There are men's shoes, women's shoes and a whole shop sized area devoted to sale shoes.
Dandelion Kids
1206 Conmmercial Drive
604.676.1862
www.dandelionkids.ca
Dandelion Kids is a warm, popular, upbeat shop that has an eclectic mix of clothes, toys and accessories for kids newborn to age 8.
Penelope's On The Drive
1023 Commercial Drive
604.253.1010
The colourful store is packed with imported treats like alpaca ponchos and sweaters from Peru, and vivid silk/cotton scarves from India, Thailand, and Laos.
Mintage
1714 Commerical Drive
604.872.0022
www.mintagevintage.com
The place carries tons of well-chosen vintage clothing, accessories, and shoes, as well as new local designs like the cheeky colourful tutus by Kelsey's Creations, and the fabric-covered necklaces by Miss K.
There's also reworked vintage aplenty, from local brands Snap, Johnny Now Joe, and in-house brand Fashion Dirt. And according to the owners, there's something new on the floor every day.
Raya
1395 Commercial Drive
604.254.5073
raya.ca
Packed with unique and cheap local gems.
Blue Sky T-shirt
1523 Commercial Drive
604.253.7501
The Blue Sky T-Shirt Company makes silkscreened and digitally printed t-shirts from your own designs.
Womyn's Ware
896 Commercial
604-254-2543
www.womynsware.com
Georgia Straight Readers' Choice Award for the Best Sex Store in the city for 8 consecutive years!
Ten Thousand Villages
1204 Commercial
604-323-9233
Ten Thousand Villages is a not-for-profit, self-supporting Fair Trade Organization designed to benefit artisans, not to maximize profits.