by Nicole Dennis Durnin | Like an early Christmas present, we took the paper off the windows and officially opened Lynn Steven Boutique on December 23rd. The last few days have been equal parts exciting and relieving.  It seemed like it took an eternity to get to this point, but everyone that has dropped in to say hi has mentioned that the store sure seemed to go up fast.  We’ve been warmly welcomed by the neighbourhood, both by local business owners and residents alike.  And especially for that we are very grateful.  The feeling of community is what led us to Gastown, and it’s been great to see that vibe personified in visits from Mark, Erin, Curtis, Arthur and Victor.

When we first toured “The Old Hunt & Gather Space” with the landlord, we could see that it had potential.  There were some hesitations regarding location, and we weren’t even quite sure it would be suitable for the sort of boutique we envisioned, but we loved the history and feel of the space.  We were confident that together with our Designers (Mcfarlane Green Biggar Architecture) and Builders (Kingdom Builders) we could create a unique, exciting boutique that we could be proud of.

The current consensus is that half of the space at 225 Carrall Street was once outside, the hexagonal tile welcomed patrons to one of a young Vancouver’s more rowdy establishments – The Bodega Hotel.  Keeping the original tile floor was a necessity, as was reflecting the historic nature of Gastown, but we also wanted a modern vibe to the space.  And we feel that that’s exactly what we have.

When we took possession, the space had a full bathroom and kitchen under a mezzanine, all behind a big pink wall.  All that had to go.  Of course we still needed a bathroom in the space, but we could do without the full sized bathtub.  We also didn’t want to move the plumbing too much, both because of the potentially fragile nature of the plumbing in the building and to conserve costs.   MGB came up with a novel solution, pun intended.  The bathroom and a change room are housed within a metal cylinder wrapped with a layer of paperback books, stacked and mortared (with glue) like bricks.

The lone non-brick wall has been given a modern facelift, with bright fluorescent lighting and a giant backlit mirror, and a 40 foot cabinet system running the length of the space.

The brick wall has been uncovered and is now completely visible from the street.  We’ve also kept the gas fireplace, just giving it a fresh coat of paint.  It warms this space up both aesthetically and physically.

Our hanging system is a bit of a work in progress.  We currently have a combination of custom metal hangers on which to feature particular items, as well as a traditional wood and metal rod system.  Over the next few weeks we will be refining it resulting in a more cohesive merchandising system throughout the store.

Also left to finish is the afore mentioned book-clad cylinder.  Have a look in a few weeks to see what four more feet of books and some new lighting do to complete this apparent crowd favourite and conversation starter.

We’re thrilled to have the store (just about) finished, and we’re looking forward to settling in.  There’s still much organizing to do, as well as a little painting, but with the welcome we’ve received from our neighbours we can tell that the future is bright for Lynn Steven Boutique.

SCOUT GUEST BLOG

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six