It's that time of year when people struggle to find the perfect gift for someone who has everything.
However, if the person in question is a big fan of Vancouver, there are a few very specific places to get incredibly niche gifts, if they think Vancouver is awesome.
Friends of the Vancouver City Archives
While the city doesn't sell any gift items directly, the Friends of the Vancouver City Archives is a foundation associated with the archives and to support the historic collection sells items from a surprisingly robust shop.
With designs and photos from the archives on stickers, maps, and t-shirts there is a lot of variety.
One notable option is the 1954 building age map of Grandview-Woodlands, which may not have the catchiest name - but may have the catchiest design.
The BC Sports Hall of Fame
Tucked away in BC Place, the province's hall of fame is dedicated to the athletes and teams the city has hosted over the years.
Along with the museum the organization has a store to support their activities, including, books, hats, and other souvenirs.
Unfortunately the book Magic Moments in BC Sport: A Century in Photos is sold out, otherwise it'd be the top pick. However, a solid alternative is anything with past Dragon Boat Festival designs on it, particularly the 1989 edition.
Vancouver Public Library's Bookmark
It may seem counter-intuitive that the library would run a store, but Bookmark is filled with literary items and other giftable items (along with some previously loved items).
However, tucked in amongst the more general items are some very specific items limited to the library, several of which depict the downtown branch. While the "special finds" section has some truly unique items, those aren't necessarily for fans of Vancouver. For those people, there are things like a Vancouver Public Library notebook.
TransLink
Vancouver has a lot of transit fans; that's always apparent when special edition Compass cards are being sold.
Aside from that though, TransLink has a substantial gift store selling items featuring SkyTrains, SeaBuses, and other people movers. It ranges from TransLink Pride hats to SkyTrain ornaments.
While the Reindeer Bus long sleeve t-shirt and Vancouver icons wrapping paper are ideal for Christmas, the new scarf is a nice, subtle, option too.
The Vancouver Art Gallery
The Vancouver Art Gallery store is mostly filled with books on art, things with art on them, and, of course, pieces of art.
While the items aren't depicting or about the gallery itself, some are harder-to-find items or things from local artists not sold elsewhere, like the Artist Edition series of items.
There are also some posters from past shows at the gallery. One notable item they sell that's very Vancouver is "Fred Herzog: Vancouver Photographs" which was co-published by the gallery.
The Vancouver Farmers Market
While small, if someone is a fan of the VFM, there are a few options sold online by the organization, including a fun enamel camping mug. Some of the items may be available to purchase at a stand at the in-person winter market as well.
Museum of Vancouver
The Museum of Vancouver has a limited online selection along with its retail space at the museum itself, so visiting the physical space is essential to know all the items they sell.
They do, however, have a couple of things online, including catalogs of past exhibits. Perhaps more exciting is their collaboration with local design house Point 2 Design. The designers have taken items from the museum's holdings and Vancouver's history and turned them into posters (in some, but not all, cases they started out as a poster).
The Vancouver Police Museum and Archives
The Vancouver Police Museum and Archives is perhaps the most unusual museum in Vancouver. As such, it's not a surprise that the small venue would have a small gift shop.
While it mostly includes books about criminal elements from Vancouver's past, there are mugs and a candle called "lake time. wine. & true crime" (which seems like a crime against language).
However, for those looking for niche Vancouver gifts, there may be none more niche than a puzzle showing the Vancouver Police Department station in 1935.
In Chinatown: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and the Chinese Canadian Museum
The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is known for its beauty in the middle of the city, but it also has a shop attached to it. Among its items are lots of posters, prints, and postcards with local artists' depictions of well-known businesses and buildings in Vancouver's legendary Chinatown.
At the same time, the new museum on the block, the Chinese Canadian Museum has a few things on offer; while it's mostly items from Chinese Canadian businesses, it has some of its own merch for sale.
Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is one of the city's longstanding tourist attractions and therefore has lots of items with its logo on it, as well as plenty of kid-friendly items and all things marine life.
If you're looking for something hyper-specific to the aquarium and its reputation for helping our aquatic neighbours there's a stuffed vet you can get, with Vancouver Aquarium scrubs on (it's Dr. Marty, aka Dr. Martin Haulena, Executive Director VAMMR, and VA Staff Veterinarian).
UBC's stores
For those who went to UBC, or are just a fan of it, there are lots of items. In fact, there are different stores on campus for various interests.
The UBC Bookstore has everything from dorm room supplies to branded Lululemon apparel. There are even signet rings with UBC's crest on them that anyone could buy. More unique would be the pop-up card of the university's clock tower and Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Of course, there are more serious things, like the book "Hundred Year Trek : A History Of Student Life At UBC."
The UBC Bookstore isn't the only shop on campus, though. There's also UBC Botanical Garden shop (run by the Firends of the Garden) that sells seeds and plants when available (they sold wreaths up until a few days ago).
The famed Museum of Anthropology also has items on sale, even though it's temporarily closed for renovations. Most of the items for sale are from local Indigenous artists and businesses, but there are some MOA items like this mug. The MOA's online store is up and running.
The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is also on campus, with its massive blue whale skeleton. Along with its own branded merch, they have matted prints of plant specimens that the UBC Herbarium has collected. It may sound ultra nerdy to get prints of local plant specimens, but for someone out there it may be the perfect gift.
