Introduction to Vancouver Vancouver is a west coast seaport in British Colombia, known for its beautiful scenery and diverse range of restaurants, museums and more. The retail sector in Vancouver is growing as international retailers continue to flock to the city: More than two million square feet are currently being developed into retail space to be integrated into residential complexes. Demographics Vancouver is home to just over 600,000 people, less than 2% of Canada’s total population. Vancouver has been called the “city of neighborhoods” as the neighborhoods have a variety of ethnic mixes. The majority of the population is made up of Canadians of European descent, accounting for 46.2% of the population. Top Five Shopping Districts

1. Downtown Shopping (Robson and Alberni Streets): There is a wide variety of mid-range shops – including international and Canadian brands, and easy access to the Pacific Centre Mall. Alberni Street has been called the Rodeo Drive of Vancouver for shoppers interested in luxury goods. Just 30 minutes from downtown is Metropolis at Metrotown – the biggest mall in British Colombia, with over 450 stores and restaurants.
2. South Granville: The perfect spot to shop for fashion, antiques, furniture, books and more. You can find everything from international stores to local boutiques.
3. Main Street: Offering unique and trendy shopping, with works from local and independent designers.
4. Granville Island: Tucked under the Granville Street Bridge are unique shops, craft vendors, restaurants and bars.
5. Fourth Ave in the Kitsilano neighborhood: This is the birth place of Lululemon. This street is dominated by athletic and outdoor-clothing.

Famous Retail Events Vancouver Fashion Week: A semi-annual event held in Chinatown displaying works of established and emerging designers – from Canada and internationally. The show lasts seven days. Bridal Fashion Week Canada: A four-day event for wedding vendors from overseas and Canada to showcase designs. There are individual stalls to meet the designers. Top Innovative Retailers Secret Location An independent Canadian luxury concept store created by Carey Melnichuk – who took inspiration for the name of the store from fashion events she once attended in Milan, the attendees consisted of fashion cognoscente’s, as the events were held in secret locations. The store displays a wide variety of styles, goods and fashion, including women’s fashion, accessories, menswear, beauty and even books. The 7,500-square-foot store is meant to capture creativity, quality and craftsmanship. Secret Location is in the heart of Gastown. Secret Location was selected on the top 10 list of concept stores by Vogue Paris. Location: Secret Location, 1 Water Street, Vancouver V6B 2H9. [caption id="attachment_86214" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Source: secretlocation.ca[/caption]   The Latest Scoop The Latest Scoop believes that people shop at brick-and-mortar stores for an experience – and the store seeks to meet that expectation. The store launched in 2004 as a pop-up but now has four permanent stores in Canada carrying a variety of fashion, home décor, furniture and accessories. The store closes for a short time at the start of the year to re-vamp locations to ensure they get a reaction from customers. The owners make regular trips to Los Angeles and New York to continually bring new ideas into the store. The Latest Scoop still opens pop-ups to test the market in new cities and neighborhoods in Canada. Location: The Latest Scoop, 2928 Granville Street, Between 13^th & 14^th, Vancouver V6H 3J7. [caption id="attachment_86215" align="aligncenter" width="404"] Source: thelatestscoop.ca[/caption]   Leisure Centre The Leisure Center looks somewhat like an art museum – and that is by design. Mason Wu founded the Leisure Center and worked with Casper Mueller Kneer Ltd Architects to achieve the design. The store is 22,000 square feet and housed in a heritage building from the 1930s. The concrete floor gives it a rustic look, service ducts are exposed and follow a structural theme. The designers said they wanted to create a space in which customers could focus on the product without distraction. This concept store is a multi-brand, avant-garde fashion outlet combining a bookstore, café, lifestyle items and health products. The book section is curated by Donlon Books (a London bookseller), while a well-being bar offers botanical remedies from The Alchemist’s Kitchen (a plant product vendor). Location: Leisure Centre, 950 Homer Street, Vancouver V6B 2W7. [caption id="attachment_86216" align="aligncenter" width="455"] Source: leisure-center.com[/caption]   GOODLAD GOODLAD has everything a man needs under one roof: coffee, clothing and a haircut. The three men behind the GOODLAD are Shan Meier, a former actor who spent time in Los Angeles and wanted to create a unique men’s retail experience and takes care of all the apparel; Christopher Glenn, a barber and in charge of all thing’s hair and Mike Hong, the coffee expert. The idea is that men want fast, quality service; to be able to buy clothes, have a coffee and get a haircut or shave. Putting all these in one place meets all the basic male needs. The store carries high-end men’s denim, hoodies, socks, underwear, shorts, T-shirts, boots and more. Some of the brands curated in the store include Canada Goose, Barbour, Outclass, Viberg Boots, Nudie and AG. The hair services include general cuts, shave, beard trim, hair wash, blow dry and styling. Location: GOODLAD, 221 Esplanade W, North Vancouver V7M 3J3. [caption id="attachment_86217" align="aligncenter" width="482"] Source: goodladclothing.com[/caption]   Grail This 3,100-square-foot store describes itself as an “interactive retail environment” that revolves around the sneaker culture, art and community. Within the store live more than 400 styles of shoes. The usual suspects such as Nike, Adidas, Vans are available, but the shop also carries niche brands such as Karhu and Leather Crown. The buyers travel to Asia and Europe looking for unique, underground brands that haven’t been discovered yet. The store targets consumers who have the mainstream streetwear brands such as Supreme and Bathing but are looking for something different and exclusive. The store interior is a mix of concrete and steel fixtures, with a digital clock in the store-front which counts down to exclusive, limited edition sneaker drops. The layout and stock are gender fluid, including a range of unisex streetwear and accessories. Location: Grail, 2867 Granville Street, Vancouver V6H 3J4. [caption id="attachment_86218" align="aligncenter" width="483"] Source: straight.com[/caption]   Lululemon Vancouver is the birth place of Lululemon: The downtown flagship store spreads across 4,500 square feet and has innovative designs, such as elements of wood and stone throughout the store to resemble the forests that surround the city. The retail innovations start with The Joinery, where men can customize the function of their workout shorts and have them made in 15 minutes. The changing rooms have screens that display product information and educate consumers on the function of each item. Another feature is mobile cashiers, so you can checkout anywhere in the store. Location: Lululemon, 970 Robson Street, Vancouver V6Z 2E7. [caption id="attachment_86219" align="aligncenter" width="471"] Source: lululemonlab.com[/caption]     Nada Nada was started by marine biologist Brianne Miller looking for a zero-package solution to selling products to reduce plastic waste. She started with pop-ups and eventually invested in a 2,332-square-foot retail space. The first package-free grocery store in Canada, the shop sells everything from produce to refrigerated items, as well as baked goods, cleaning supplies, personal care items and more. The company focuses on local, organic and ethically sourced goods. Shoppers can bring their own bags or carry their groceries in reusable bags sold by Nada. Location: Nada, 675 E Broadway, Vancouver V5T 1X7. [caption id="attachment_86220" align="aligncenter" width="518"] Source: nadagrocery.com[/caption]   Indochino The Indochino brand was built on the idea that custom wardrobes should be affordable, a concept that grew the company into one of the largest made-to-measure apparel companies in the world. Customers choose from a variety of fabrics and can personalize pieces by adding lapels, pockets, buttons, linings and monograms. The consumer-designed pieces are made and shipped within three weeks. The store offers various appointment types such as for a new custom suit; coming into shop (once the store has the customer’s measurements on file); an adjustment to existing apparel; and, wedding consultations. Location: Indochino, 1014 Homer Street, Vancouver V6B 2W9. [caption id="attachment_86221" align="aligncenter" width="334"] Source: indochino.com[/caption]   Aubade Aubade is a coffee shop located inside an antique store, creating a rustic atmosphere. Aubade is designed for consumers who want to learn more about coffee. The shop also features a “takeover concept” in which coffee-shop newbies can use the space for a day to see what it is like to run a coffee shop. The owner is a technician and invented a proprietary filter, the Aesir, which the creator claims provides a cleaner flavor as the filter does not absorb as much oil as others. Location: Aubade, 230 E Pender Street, Vancouver V6A 1T3. [caption id="attachment_86222" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Source: Sprudge[/caption]   Six Hundred Four Six Hundred Four was started by James Lepp, a professional golfer who had a vision of a part shop, part museum gallery. Six Hundred Four partners with local artists to turn their art into limited edition sneakers – just 604 pairs for each artist, spread across four colorways. Each sneaker has a unique identification number engraved on the right sole. The art is essentially tattooed onto the shoe, therefore reducing the chances it will crack, crumble or break apart. The sneaker gallery displays shoes with the art pieces that inspired the print. Profits from sneaker sales go to a nonprofit of the artist’s choosing. Location: Six Hundred Four, 151 Cambie Street, Vancouver V6B 4R3. [caption id="attachment_86223" align="aligncenter" width="544"] Source: sixhundredfour.com[/caption]   Must-See Street: West 41^st Avenue West 41^st Ave between Larch Street and Maple Street is a small street in the affluent neighborhood of Vancouver with boutique and unique stores.

1. The Salvation Army Thrift Store: Second-hand goods sold at the store, one of the few stores offering high-end second-hand items.
2. Miniso: A home goods store selling stationary, electronics, accessories and more.
3. HOB Thrift Boutique: Reasonable prices, offering a range of clothing, shoes, accessories, kitchenware and more.
4. Jacadi: Upscale Parisian-inspired apparel and accessories for babies.
5. The Run Inn: Specialty running store with a wide selection of sneakers.