At first glance Victoria Crescent may look like any Nanaimo street, but a second glance reveals something different.
There’s a funky vibe that resides in spaces, carved out by the business owners who operate on the street.
It’s not the bricks and mortar that make Victoria Crescent funky, but the attitudes of the people who hang out there.
“It’s definitely a sort of hip arts and music district,” said Ilan Goldenblatt, former operator of the Thirsty Camel.
He said the area attracts people who are really into arts, music and community.
He opened the Thirsty Camel on Victoria Crescent 12 years ago and closed the restaurant’s doors in early May.
He is now taking time to write a cookbook and travel in South America.
Just a few buildings down the street, in an abandoned store window, resides a colourful painting with the words God is Love. The phrase drips red hearts that hang above a city landscape.
Proof that although the store is vacant, residents still claim the space.
Victoria Crescent is home to many businesses including the Queen’s, Square One, the Cambie, Mambo Pizza and others.
A cushy lime green arm chair sits invitingly next to a pot of aromatic herbs and blooming lavender.
Nearby a set of mismatched chairs, draped with knitted blankets, are assembled around a table.
It’s a place arranged outside the Vault Café to invite people walking by on the street to sit and relax.
It’s a vibe owner Amanda Scott has cultivated since she opened the establishment in January 2014.
“I really wanted to open something where nobody was in a rush and everyone had time to hang out and make friends,” said Scott.
Once inside, customers are greeted with an eclectic mis-match of furniture, knick-knacks and a café gallery.
In the upper seating area, a carved gnome sits besides a chess board and a couple potted plants. Near the front window a row of books line a shelf, adding to the take-your-time vibe of the establishment.
“It was important for me to have a lot of conversation pieces,” said Scott, adding she likes to find objects at thrift stores.
Every year she does a refresh to allow customers to discover new, interesting items distributed around the café.
The Vault Café isn’t a place where people bark their orders and expect their drink in a minute and whisk their way out the door. It’s a place to chill, connect and relax.
The café hosts live music, poetry and spoken word events, book launches and sells artwork by local artists.