Vancouver Shopping

  1. Gay-Mart

    The West End gayborhood's favorite shopping bazaar, Gay-Mart hawks all manner of pride-themed merchandise, including wallets, robes, socks and baseball caps emblazoned with rainbow flags. Jewelry and CDs add to the mix and it does a brisk business in adult movies and 'accessories.'

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  2. Henry Birks & Sons

    A Vancouver institution since 1879 - hence the landmark free-standing clock outside - Birks crafts exquisite heirloom jewelry and its signature line of timepieces. It's an upscale place, similar to Tiffany's in the USA, and ideal for picking up that special something in a classy, blue embossed box for a deserving someone back home.

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  3. Hunt & Gather

    A crisp white interior showcases the in-house-designed handmade clothing, bags and accessories here as if they are artworks. Some of them are, including a clutch of elegant classics that will likely become mainstays of your wardrobe for years. Making waves across North America, despite its humble size and location.

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  4. Legends Retro Fashion

    Nestled among antique shops, racks of elegant clothes from decades past are sold along with one-of-a-kind hats and rhinestone jewelry here. Legends has been around for 20-plus years and has earned its reputation for having merchandise in excellent condition.

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  5. Urban Empire

    This wacky, all-out, kitsch trinket shop is just the kind of place you can pick up that Crazy Cat Lady action figure you've always wanted. Other must-haves include taste-free nihilist chewing gum and Bill Clinton condoms. Beware: the longer you browse the more you will buy.

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