eS Bates

To Market

By Natalie Serafini

he Quay of my childhood was

a focal point for activity. It

tantalized all of the senses, with the smell of fish, chatter of the crowd, and the blur of people. Gradually though, the Quay began to lose some shops and the parking got worse. As a result, the market faded over time before closing down completely.

Since undergoing renovations,

the Quay has changed almost beyond recognition. Although the Quay has lost a lot of its energy, its allure is not entirely gone. With a number of stores already establishing themselves and more businesses slotted to open within a month or two, the Quay is making a comeback.

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Riverside market slowly goes back into business

What really prompted my excursion down to the river was the promise of crepes at Crepe Des Amis. I was not disappointed, least of all because it beats a trek to downtown Vancouver for Cafe Crepe. Crepe Des Amis offers a wide selection of sweet crepes, such as the Isabelle (milk chocolate and peanut butter), while their savoury crepes are also tempting, with options like the Mediterranee (roasted chicken, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and mediterranean dressing). Their crepes are made from whole wheat crepe batter and cooked right in front of you, so you know exactly what you’re eating. And if you’re not that into crepes (no judgement, here), you should still check out this brightly

painted restaurant for their frozen yogurts and tofulatis.

Great Wall Tea Co. is a fantastic little store with an enormous selection of teas. A massive wall filled with canisters offers over 150 different flavours... pretty impressive or intimidating, depending on how much of a tea connoisseur you happen to be. Seriously, you’re bound to find a leaf you love! Talk to a sales person if you’re not quite sure what to try; that’s how I found my new favourite, white chocolate chai. You can buy a cup to

have in store, or get a pack of loose leaf.

tea to go.

Tiny Finery is another interesting store with very unique jewelry pieces. The jewelry is handmade by the three artists who run the store, and they

also sell work by other local artists. There are soaps, moisturizers, reusable thermos sleeves and countless other trinkets in addition to the extensive array of jewelry.

Donald’s Market, Emilio’s Deli, and The Crab Shop are other corners of the Quay that also have quality food worth trying. These stores are also set to be joined by Wild Rice restaurant’s Chinese cuisine and KJM Urban Gardens in the coming months.

From what I’ve seen so far, the Quay shows a lot of promise for becoming a hotbed for activity once more. Admittedly, it’s quiet, sort of an echo of its former self now, but with the addition of some new stores, and old and new customers, the Quay will not disappoint.