So last week Chris and I went to Vancouver for a day. There were some chores I needed to do but we made sure we had some time in the afternoon to just enjoy. We found ourselves in the old neighbourhood near Main Street and happened upon this charming place at the corner of 28th and St. George. If you’re nearby, you have to go drop in and get a cappuccino!…but if you’re not near, you’ve got to go visit their beautiful blog: Marche St. George. Gorgeous photos on the blog, much nicer than these snapshots I took, go take a look! I’ve just got to tell everyone about this place.
What an inspiring-to-me place it is! You could almost miss it if you’re driving by, the way it’s tucked in there amongst all the houses. The folks who run it live upstairs. The elegant lady behind the counter told me the building was once a corner store a long long time ago and because of this, the zoning rules that might make this sort of neighbourhood store illegal in other areas of the city don’t apply here. Thank goodness!! If I still lived in the hood, I’d be very very happy about having this place nearby.
The red tent is for all the CSA produce boxes that are delivered here every week. The farmers bring the boxes and the neighbourhood folks come to the corner to pick up their locally grown veggies and fruit for the week. That tent was overflowing with boxes!
Inside, beautiful displays with special products, both local and from away. All sorts of produce, eggs, locally made cheeses and sausage, bread, bottled things and some very beautiful cutting boards, textiles, toiletries, so many special things in small quantities, too many to list. No end to the delightful details. (like the front door that was painted in chalkboard paint, the hours of operation happily scribbled in chalk on the door) This place comes from the heart.
Wouldn’t it be a nicer world if every urban neighbourhood had a store like this on the corner?
I’m so glad we veered off the beaten path last Thursday!
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