The best vintage and collectibles shops in Vancouver
Some call it a hobby, while others may say it's an obsession, but there's no doubt that a lot of us are fixated on building up an impressive collection of some sort. For some, it's putting together a set of old Nintendo games for an at-home arcade, while others are looking out for a haul of vintage sports gear. Here are some surefire stops for all your vintage and collectible needs. [Photo by Laurel Borrowman]
All Nations Stamps & Coins
5630 Dunbar St, Vancouver, BC V6N 1W7There may be no more wholesome or iconic an activity than stamp collecting. It's the prototypical collector's obsession, with a vintage flair now that most of our mailing is done electronically. You could always kick start a fledgling collection by picking up a roll of Canadian stamps from the post office, but All Nations Stamps & Coins on Dunbar will direct you to some rare finds. Their weekly auction could nab you a 19th-century paid postage piece from Great Britain, or maybe you'd like to look into the future with a run of Star Trek stamps. Coin collectors frequent here too – and can make a mint appraising their collection in store.
Krazy Bob's Music Emporium
20484 Fraser Hwy, Langley, BC V3A 4G2While Krazy Bob's collection of over 300,000 vinyl records is the biggest draw here (not to mention all the CDs and cassettes), there's much more to the Langley-based Emporium than just music. In addition to digging for old Bowie albums, a stroll through the store could yield you anything from Disney classics on VHS, to stacks of '70s and '80s Spider-Man and Daredevil comics. Worried you might not be able to grab a SNES Classic Mini this fall? Don't worry, lovably eccentric store owner Bob has got you covered with a haul of OG Nintendo cartridges.
Langley Toy Traders Ltd
150-19880 Langley Bypass, Langley, BC V3A 4Y1If you ever regretted getting rid of all your old G.I. Joe toys, you can get reacquainted with all sorts of vintage action figures at Langley Toy Traders. The store carries a great selection of new games, plushies and Lego sets, but the highlight of the shop is, without a doubt, their extensive collection of '80s-era items. A well-spring of used Star Wars toys will take collectors back to their childhoods, as will the shop's elaborate, wow-worthy displays recreating battles on Endor and the Death Star.
Touchstone Sports
3767 Commercial St, Vancouver, BC V5N 4G1Forgive the pun, but Vancouver's Touchstone Sports is a place where you can hang with the greats. Or is that hang the greats? The sports memorabilia store specializes in selling signed photos and jerseys of legendary superstars like Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson. The shop also handles custom framing, and nobly links up with a number of local charities when auctioning off certain rare items.
Eastside Flea
1024 Main St, Vancouver, BC V6A 2W1Every two weeks, the Eastside Flea hosts an all-weekend sale where local vendors of all kinds hawk handcrafted wares, as well as well-worn Black Sabbath tees, vintage banners and used rock records. Along with all those artisanal items and antiques, the diverse marketplace also serves up local craft beer and food, while you’re treated to a DJ set or a performance from a local band.
Neptoon Records
3561 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5V 3N4Main Street staple Neptoon Records has all sorts of analogue treasures waiting to be discovered in its bins. The family-run shop has stacks upon stacks of new and used records, and is also bursting at the seams with vintage tapes and CDs. One of the most eye-popping parts of the store, though, is its collection of old concert posters. Dive deep and you'll discover decades' worth of arty artifacts documenting classic rock and R&B acts that made it through the Commodore Ballroom or the Pacific Coliseum way back when.
Starlight Distributors Inc
1076 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L5Heavy metal fans are an obsessive bunch. If you're prone to throwing up the devil horns every time you hear a Slayer song, you've probably been to the long-running Granville Street memorabilia hub, The Rock Shop. The racks are filled with black T-shirts with your favourite band’s logo, but you can also show your love for all things rock via the store's vast inventory of posters, pins, belt buckles, jean jacket patches and more.
F As In Frank
2425 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5T 3E1The collectors market on vintage sports gear has exploded over the last few years, with F as in Frank being a major in-town destination for fanatics looking for an old-fashioned way to support their favourite teams. Digging through the racks can load you up on anything from used basketball jerseys (some more well-worn than others) to still shining Starter team jackets. The side wall is full of mint, deadstock snapback caps, covering anything from the NCAA to the NHL.
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