Earlier this year, in January, I wrote about one of the city’s last, still-operating, industrial coffee shops, Laura’s Coffee Shop in Mount Pleasant. The response to that piece was so good that I thought it would be fun to take a look at another industrial coffee shop from Vancouver’s past – one that is, sadly, no longer with us.
The Marine View Coffee Shop was located at the foot of Campbell Avenue on Fisherman’s Wharf (aka Campbell Avenue Fish Dock and officially, Vancouver Harbour Commission Wharf). According to artist and author Keith McKellar (aka Laughing Hand), the Marine View was “Vancouver’s favourite waterfront daytime coffee shop and fish cafe situated up those funky, well trodden, roof-covered stairs atop the tin corrugated cold-storage ice plant.” It was known for its fresh seafood, basic but delicious cooking, generous servings, and front row view of the harbour.
The Campbell Avenue Dock opened in 1926. Starting in the 1930s, and through the 1940s, there was a basic coffee kiosk operating on the dock. The first version of the Marine Coffee Shop was established circa 1950. During that decade, the coffee shop expanded and moved upstairs above an ice plant and cold storage facility, evolving into a breakfast and lunch place with a view.
In the mid-1960s, cook Ruby Welsh introduced fresh fish dishes to the menu and they were an instant hit. In 1971, Welsh bought the Marine View Coffee Shop and ran it with her daughters, Agnes and Audrey, thus beginning a run of three generations of Welsh women who would operate the Marine View. Ruby modestly recounted their success: “We had a good view… we could see the boats coming in with fresh fish. Some days there were lineups down the stairs.”
Like all industrial coffee shops, the Marine View opened primarily to serve fishers and waterfront workers. However, it wasn’t long until the cognoscenti – from “suits” to artists – bravely ventured to the Marine View, drawn by its abundant, fresh seafood based menu, an active wharf, and Burrard Inlet view. According to the legendary Vancouver historian Chuck Davis, “half the fun of this place [was] trying to find it.” To utilize a currently overused epithet: the Marine View was at one time a true “hidden gem”.
What about that food? According to those who were fortunate enough to experience the Marine View’s menu, the “delectable” shrimp and crab sandwiches were inches deep and full of fresh sweet meat — the stuff dreams are made of. Another favourite was the fisherman’s salad, which “was loaded with shrimp, prawns, scallops, and other assorted goodies”. Their fish n’ chips and clam chowder were also perennial customer favourites. Ruby’s secret to good clam chowder? “Lots of clams.”
Of course, it wasn’t just about the seafood; the Marine View was also a popular breakfast spot for fishers and wharf workers. Platters of eggs, bacon, and hash browns, along with a steaming cup of coffee, could (and would often) be had.
A special newspaper Expo Visitor’s Guide classified ad (pictured) taken out in May 1986 announced the extension of Marine View’s traditional industrial coffee shop hours. It’s tempting to think that they did this in order to capitalize on the popularity of their seafood dishes by taking advantage of the Expo 86 tourist boom.
The original location of the Marine View Coffee Shop was forced to close in 1989 when the Vancouver Port Corporation (a Federal Crown Corporation in charge of city’s ports) ruled the Campbell Avenue Wharf unsafe and evicted the fish processors that were its tenants. The Marine View Coffee Shop re-opened six months later in a new location at 611 Alexander Street, owned and operated by Welsh’s daughter, Audrey Gurney, and her granddaughter. Even though the menu and staff remained unchanged, in the end, it just wasn’t the same. The magic of the Marine View was lost along with its killer view.
Fun Fact: The Campbell Avenue Fish Wharf and Marine View Coffee Shop was a featured location for the 1987 shot-in-Vancouver film, Stakeout, starring Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez. Check out the trailer below:
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I remember the marine view. Great food, great location
Good article, does justice to the most wonderful seafood diner in Vancouver. Fifty years ago when we were all young and beautiful, my then-GF, her daughter and I must have sat at that very table overlooking the docks a dozen times.We just double-dog loved the Marine View.
– From 1962 to 1976 I worked at Fisherman’s Wharf in the Summer months Those Summers were some of the best times in my early life. Started working there at National Fisheries small salmon cannery owned Boyd Shannon and ran by Charles “Chuck” Craver his son in law. Norpac Fisheries (the Moir family) eventually bought the cannery and later on Ocean Fisheries (owned by the Safarik family) purchased it and moved it out to Richmond on the Fraser River and Jim Pattison eventually ended up with the business and shut it down.
The Marineview Coffee shop was our regular place for our coffee breaks and lunch times. Great Fish and Chips and good donuts too. Audrey and Ruby both had a great sense of humour. Audrey never even blushed when I asked her for a “male donut” one day. She just asked what a “male donut” was. I responded that it was a donut with nuts on it. She screamed out to Ruby who was in the kitchen area cooking – Hey Ruby do you know what a “male donut” is? Those girls provided great customer service and as well as the great food. I believe Ruby bought the place from a fellow named Murray but can’t remember his last name. Good old memories from the good old days!
The wharves/docks at Fisherman Wharf are still there but all the buildings were torn down. I use a picture of them as the background screed on my laptop to remind me of those days 60 years ago.