Tag: Shopping

In Coombs BC, which is about 9 km from Parksville, there’s a shopping area that is identifiable by its plaza with large stone sculptures of animals and Buddhas. The Coombs Emporium is a collection of strange things. A snack bar with ice cream makes no sense when contrasted against Buddhas and bosomy women wooden sculptures. There’s also a collection of intense biker style T-shirts. But I can’t imagine any bikers wearing them. Maybe a cartoon biker? Wooden giraffes (and more bosoms) are also strangely popular. The wooden willies that double as bottle openers were kind of top-of-the-heap-odd.  No photos.  I’m […]

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For the first time in two years, this past July 9, the West 4th Avenue Business Improvement Association shut down 4th Avenue and turned it into a street party.  They say this is Vancouver’s largest free music and arts festival.  Every couple of blocks there are live music tents and DJs.  It’s good fun just to walk the road and take it all in. The party runs from Burrard St. to MacDonald Ave., which is truly the centre of Kitsilano.  Stores put out tents and you can often find some decent deals.  West of Balsam Ave., there is a decent […]

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I don’t know if it’s the name of the shop, but after I spent time in this true antiquarian bookshop in Sidney BC, I had the sensation I was in a used bookshop in the 1980s.  Perhaps this was because the first thing I chanced on was a collection of novels by Anthony Burgess.  I also quickly came across books that fall into the category Books I Should Have Read in University but Didn’t.  They also have antique maps, engravings, antique postcards, and more. For me, this kind of bookstore transcends time in more ways than one. When I stepped […]

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On Fort Street in Victoria, there’s a two-level large independent bookstore called Russell Books.  If you’re a book nut, this is a required stop in Victoria. Our annual preference is to visit when Russell Books’ calendar collection is on sale.  They have a ton of stuff and the 50% off the calendars is a great way to decorate your walls.  The variety is quite stunning.  The other aspect of the store is that they shelve their used, slightly used, and new with equality.  They also keep them all in their database.  My daughter tested this theory by looking up three […]

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The Errington Farmers’ Market is held every Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM.  It is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Parksville.  Errington is a spot in the woods away from the main Island Highway.  The market itself was a quiet affair due to the pandemic.  If you are wanting really fresh produce, and you are at the beginning of your self-catering trip, this would be a good place to start. The fair is held in a playing field, next to a walking trail.  I imagine parking is interesting at busier times, so keep your wits about you. There […]

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When on vacation, I often like to look in on different shops and galleries because for a change I’m shopping for fun, not necessity. One place worth popping into is Robert Held Art Glass. It’s in Parksville on the main 19A highway and is near Rathtrevor Beach and the local bowling alley, Sunset Lanes. There are demos of the art of glass blowing and, as the images show, his capturing of flowers in glass is evocative of impressionism. It’s definitely a spot to go for unique gifts for friends and family. He was working in the back on the day […]

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We were sad to see in Coombs this summer that Coombstock the Hippie Store was liquidating. The lady working that day made it quite clear that she was unsure what the owner had planned, although online distribution seemed to be in the works. As of writing, there was no dedicated website. Coombstock’s sale, however, inspired my son and daughter to buy cool sunglasses, tank tops, balloon pants, hippie hoodie – overall an Indian Subcontinent meets the hippie movement with some odes to Hawaiian shirts. As you can tell from the sign below, the owner was fairly clear about mask-wearing given […]

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For those of you looking for a staircase leading to a Hemp store in Coombs, you now have a new antiques store. Coombs Antique Attic and Collectibles has a variety of memorabilia and a decent selection of Depression glass. My daughter found a selection of old LPs which she took advantage of. The fact someone so young has a turntable is fascinating. My mother was an avid antique collector and I’m always curious to see if instances of her collection show up. If you are looking to decorate a basement hideaway and want it to be retro, they did also […]

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In the last year, a store called Dutch Imports moved and renamed itself to the Dutch Store. I was originally in a kind of industrial mall off Highway 4 and is in Coombs proper and able to enjoy more foot traffic. It’s where the general store used to be. When I entered the place I could hardly believe that we were in that site. Last year the building was pretty rough and now the interior had clearly been completely re-done. The process took from January 2020 to May. Anyone with Dutch heritage, this is a must visit. My family’s interest […]

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When on vacation, sometimes you get a moment to read. When shopping in places, I love looking for small bookstores. Occasionally you find a good book. Coombs BC is about 9 km from Parksville. In Coombs there’s a bookstore called Cozy Corner Books that’s got a lot of stuff but over time it’s gotten more disorganized over time. The owner knows tons but I literally tripped over a pile of books and was trapped for a couple of minutes. It’s always fun to look around but ton find anything is tough. Meanwhile in Parksville, at Fireside Books, the place is […]

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