Walking Vancouver. John Lee
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St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church
3 GRANVILLE STRIP: NIGHTLIFE GHOSTS OF YESTERYEAR
BOUNDARIES: Robson St., Granville St., Drake St.
DISTANCE: ½ mile/¾ kilometre
DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING: There’s an underground parkade beneath the Pacific Centre, accessed at the southeast corner of Robson and Howe Sts. There’s also metered street parking on much of Granville and on the side streets along its length.
PUBLIC TRANSIT: Buses 4, 7, 10, 16, and 17 stop on Howe St., parallel to Granville. The SkyTrain stops at Granville station, under the Bay department store at the corner of W. Georgia and Granville.
The city’s central nightlife hub, known as the “Granville Strip” by locals and “Granville Entertainment District” by city planners, who clearly need to get out more, stretches from Robson St. to the Granville Bridge. Its neon-lit golden age spanned the 1940s and 1950s, when legions of Vancouverites came here to spend their hard-earned weekly wage partying at clubs and restaurants and catching the latest silver-screen flicks. The area declined in the 1960s; with entertainment options spreading out across the city, the strip lost its rep as the only place in town to have a good time. Stores moved in (including a smattering of sex shops at the southern end) and many of the original venues closed. In the 1970s, a stretch running north from here was transformed into “Granville Mall,” a plain-Jane, concrete-accented pedestrian walkway, leaving the south end to languish. In recent years, city planners have encouraged a return of neon signs in the area, aiming to recall the halcyon years. A second makeover project was launched in late 2008 to underline this drive. Strolling the strip today, you’ll find plenty of latter-day clubs and bars, alongside several reminders of the area’s glamorous past.
| • | Starting at the corner of Robson and Granville Sts, check out the giant TV screens and oversized store signs adorning the northeast corner. These were encouraged as part of a new policy to restore neon signage to the strip—although they’re not quite as romantic as the old hoardings that once winked at passers-by. If you fancy a brew, nip into the Lennox Pub on the southeast corner. This narrow, wood-lined bar has been here since 2000 and has a wide selection of on-tap beers including Guinness and Strongbow. Join the throng for a broadcast Canucks game, or head for the upstairs snug for quieter quaffing. |
| • | Continue south along Granville’s left-hand sidewalk. This short stretch used to house cinemas, an independent bookshop and a legendry German bakery but in recent years, it’s been colonized by trendy boutiques. Consider unleashing your credit card at the Puma or Adidas stores. Alternatively, you can gaze for free at the sidewalk. This doesn’t make you crazy, it just means you’re perusing a series of small granite discs otherwise known as the BC Hall of Fame’s Starwalk. Not quite as glamorous as the Hollywood version, the regional stars honored include Diana Krall, Chief Dan George, and Randy Bachman. The nearby Orpheum Theatre has a wall of photos covering all 158 inductees. |
| Once you’ve finished staring at the ground, look up at the Commodore Ballroom, stretching over the top of several storefronts above you. Vancouver’s favorite mid-sized music venue, it opened in 1929 and was dripping with Art Deco flourishes—many carefully restored in an extensive renovation several years ago. While contemporary live acts frequently storm the stage here, it’s not hard to squint a little and recall the feel of the old place, with its stepped perimeter seating, sparkling mirrorbacked sidebars, and expansive ballroom dance floor. This famed floor was originally underlaid with horsehair to add extra bounce: it’s been replaced with rubber in recent years. Count Basie, Cab Calloway, the Dead Kennedys, Nirvana, U2, and the Police have all played here. | |
| • | A few steps from the Commodore’s ground level box office, check out the Orpheum. Its giant heritage neon sign, cascading from the top of the building, is an evocative reminder of those that used to crowd the skyline here. |
| • | If it feels like time to shake your thang, head across Granville St. to the Plaza Club. A movie theatre for many years, the Plaza was transformed into a nightclub and live music venue in 1998. It’s arguably the best of several clubs crowding this end of the strip—its larger rival is the Caprice on the next block. The Plaza’s club nights draw a generally young crowd but its live music roster is eclectic enough to lure a more diverse group. |
| • | Cross over Smithe St. and return to the left side of Granville. A few steps south you’ll come to the handsome, yet paint-peeled Vogue Theatre, the strip’s other great heritage venue. Built in 1941 in the Art Moderne-style—check out the streamlined accents on its prow-like neon signage—this was a purpose-built movie house: vaudeville had already been replaced by film just a few years after the Orpheum opened. The Vogue remained an independent movie theatre until the 1980s. Changes in ownership and varying amounts of renovation since have left its future in limbo, but renewed interest in local heritage makes it unlikely it will disappear. |
| • | If you need to wet your whistle at this point, cross over Granville and check out the right side of the 900 block. There are several bar choices here, including Speakeasy and Caprice Lounge, but the sleek, brick-lined Granville Room is recommended. This compact bar is popular among weekend nightclub crawlers taking a cocktail breather from the area’s dance floors. There’s also a surprisingly wide array of international bottled lagers. |
| • | If you’re hung up on retro, though, continue south until you reach the Templeton. An authentic evocation of a 1950s diner, this narrow eatery comprises cozy vinyl booths on one side and a long, chrome-accented counter on the other. But while there are jukebox terminals on the tables and period postcards encased on the counter tops, the menu here rises above standard greasy spoon fare. There are lots of organic and locally sourced ingredients, and vegetarians have plenty of options. On Monday nights free movies are screened above the serving area. |
| • | Cross back over to the left side of Granville and continue south. You’re now at the seedier end of the street, among the sad array of grubby sex shops. You can expect to be discreetly offered soft drugs by wandering peddlers. But you haven’t entered a culture-free zone: cross Davie St. and then Drake St. On the southeast corner of Granville and Drake—marked by a magnificent neon saxophone—stands arguably the strip’s most historic performance venue. Built in the 1880s as a bunkhouse for Canadian Pacific Railway employees, the Yale Hotel was far enough from the center of town to survive Vancouver’s infamous 1886 fire. A neighborhood pub and live music venue ever since, it’s become one of Canada’s best blues bars, featuring live music nightly. Over the years, the Yale has hosted legendary performers like John Lee Hooker and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. It’s a great spot to kick back, grab a beer, and end your Granville Strip trawl. |
BACK STORY: ORPHEUM ECHOES
Opened in 1927, the Orpheum Theatre was originally part of a chain of Chicago-based vaudeville houses—all called “Orpheum”—that welcomed famously diverse acts from around the world. With almost 3,000 seats, it was also one of the largest theatres in Canada at the time. The stars who have performed here over the years include Bob Hope, B.B. King, Harry Belafonte, Jay Leno, Shirley MacLaine, and Victor Borge—around the stage door on Seymour St.,