I’ve always admired Granville Island for its balance of functionality and flare. Though the Granville Island Public Market is certainly a spectacle for tourists to experience, the local people of Vancouver are actually the “bread and butter” of the market business. We do our grocery shopping here. We plan our dinner parties here. We bring our families here for celebrations. With over 10 million visits per year, the Public Market has become a staple in Vancouver’s culture and a landmark for visitors to Canada.
But, as I wandered through Granville Island this week, I wondered just how many people purposefully make their way outside of the Public Market to shop at other parts of the Island. You might be thinking, “Meh, I don’t need a gift for anyone. I’ve got my groceries, I have other errands to run. I don’t have time to peruse artisan crafts.”
Yet, I think many people would be surprised to discover the availability of everyday, household items that are available at Granville Island. For instance, as a foodie, I happen to be very specific about the dish scrubber I like to use. I have no patience for the cheap material and counter-intuitive design they sell at the dollar store. For the longest time, Ikea was the only place I could find a scrubber that met my expectations (and was reasonably priced). But hey, look what I found in Granville Island’s Net Loft, at Market Kitchen! YES. This calls for homemade lasagna.
See, there’s a little blue building directly across from the Granville Island Public Market, just west of Edible Canada. From the outside, Net Loft just another unsuspecting, industrial-looking, colourful building on Granville Island. From what you can see through the windows, it’s quite easy to assume that Net Loft is another home for artisan goods. And it is…and it isn’t. Inside the yellow doors is an array of shops, a few of which have just as many “staple goods” as they do “splurge items.” Take a look at some of my favourites:
Market Kitchen
If you’ve been to Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Market Kitchen can be described as a a quaint Sur La Table. It’s less of a showroom and more like a pantry of your own. In addition to things like my scrubber, tart pans and tea balls, they also stock fun and unique supplies that will add some sparkle to your kitchen.
Net Loft Cafe
In the centre of Net Loft is a serene area – a courtyard, if you will – where you can pause to enjoy a bite to eat. It’s a little known fact that Net Loft Cafe actually serves breakfast, lunch and dinner! Certainly something to keep in my for the hectic days in the Public Market. In addition, the space at Net Loft Cafe is specifically reserved for solo acoustic guitar acts with no vocals or non-musical acts (like magicians).
Paper-Ya
This is exactly how I feel when I encounter pretty stationary: Paper…YEAH!! Although I’d love to say this is where they got the name, “Ya” actually means “shop” in Japanese and this is where the inspiration comes from. If you’re planning a wedding, wrapping a present, needing a greeting card or looking for a notebook to write down your best and brightest recipes, I’ll see ya at Paper-Ya!
Today marks the ninth week of our Granville Island series. If you’ve made it this far down the page, thanks for reading! To conclude the 10-part series, we’ll have a special surprise for our followers up on the blog next week!! Until then, foodies! Eat well 🙂
