When I lived in Kitsilano 20 years ago, I used to drop into the grocery store on the corner of Arbutus and 6th. Even back then it was ahead of its time with organic produce and hard-to-find items. But just like The End of the Line and the Corner Store in North Vancouver have transformed from grocery stores to neighbourhood cafes, so has the Arbutus Grocery store – now Arbutus Coffee.
I was there on Sunday when Ros Coulson, manager, was given a Places that Matter plaque from the Vancouver Heritage Foundation. Ros says most of her customers are regulars that come from a four-block radius. Some come every day.
The food is great. Specials of the day were a split pea soup, balsamic and quinoa salad, a cheddar and zucchini quiche or a grilled panini with artichoke hearts, asparagus and roasted peppers. Likely because it was late in the day the regulars were polishing off the blueberry pie, a decadent looking German chocolate cake, and maybe the best looking carrot cake I’ve ever seen.
The store was built by Thomas Fletcher Frazer in 1907 with a boom town front. Thomas also owned the California-style bungalow next door at 2084 W. 6th —(shown in the archival photo).
The store is part of Kitsilano’s Delamont Park neighbourhood, and what’s surprising is that it’s still there. The store and houses all along W. 5th and 6th were intended to be fodder for a freeway planned for the Burrard-Arbutus connector.
During the 1960s Arbutus Grocery catered to a lively group of artists. Figurative painter Frank Molnar paid $65 a month for his two-bedroom apartment across the street at 2205 W. 6th. Artist Jack Akroyd had a corner apartment, while another tenant, Elek Imredy had already carved out a solid reputation as a sculptor. Poets John Newlove, bill bissett and Judith Copithorne all lived there at one point. Judith was one of three women who modeled for Imredy’s Girl in a Wetsuit sculpture that sits on a rock in Stanley Park.
Arbutus Coffee and the houses that surround it are still owned by the city. Many are now over a century old. May they be there for the next one.
For more information on the Places that Matter Plaque Project visit the Vancouver Heritage Foundation.
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9 comments on “Arbutus Grocery”
Hi Eve…… I never lived on Arbutus or 6th but I lived for 18 years in the 2100 block of Yew street. Frank Molnar lived across the street and Elek Imredy lived in the same building as I did. Paul Huba, the sculptor, also lived there as did Judith Williams, the painter.
Hi Judith: Sorry to put you in the wrong building! Did you shop at Arbutus Grocery?
Cheers,
Eve
No. I can’t remember what was there when I lived nearby but it wasnt as fancy as it is now.
Hi
We lived at 2128 Arbutus in 1956-60 and then at 2116 West 6th and knew the old folks that ran the grocery. They were called Alderson and eventually sold and moved to Salt Spring Island. I remember the robbery of the store one night in 1957. Mr. Alderson was hit about the head because he fought the robber. He recovered and we had a welcome home for him when he came out of hospital. It was a great local store for kids (pop and gum) and for veggies and other last minute groceries.
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Thank you. The story in the book is much more detailed. Hope you enjoy it.
Eve
oh ty for this. That is still my hood since the mid 70s…..saw this building go thru so many transformations. I spearheaded the committee that saved these bldgs, saved our neighbourhood in 1982 which paved the way for the community the gardens and mini parks..Mayor Harcourt was the saving vote that made the movement successful..he still promotes the democratic process that listens to the people..in the mid 70s our school was where the park now is. The school given that land for 2 years thanks to mayor Phillips and Carole Taylor. The houses in the 2000 block of W 5th and W6th were slated to be demolished for a large park.
I lived across the street in the upstairs apartment in 1969. I went to Canada in protest against the Vietnam (un)War. The committee for Conscientious Objectors sent me to a couple who lived there. They were from South Carolina and had volunteered to help Objectors. They welcomed me into their home and I lived there for about a year.
I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and I was suddenly dropped into the hippie culture. It was a wonderful part of my life. Many times I would smoke up with my friends, get the munchies and walk across the street to buy mountains of junk food. I was in that store a lot.
I’m sorry I missed the hippie culture in Kits. I didn’t arrive until the mid 80s. Thanks for your note!