A Local Favourite: Urban Source

One thing I adore about the city of Vancouver is the endless locally-owned specialty shops that line the streets of many neighbourhoods.  One of our favourites, located just down Main Street near Heritage Hall, is Urban Source.  

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Urban Source specializes in alternative art materials and sells all kinds of leftovers, misprints, over stock, cut offs, and discards from local industries as unique art supplies.  So whether you’re in the market for wooden doweling, ceramic tiles, cardboard cutouts, old-school slides, or leather scraps, Urban Source has probably got you covered.  Besides the always changing stock, I love the giant selection and knowing that by purchasing ‘alternative’ craft materials we’re saving them from heading straight to the landfill.  My little miss, on the other hand, loves the fact that she gets a {flat rate} brown paper bag that can be filled to the brim with materials of her choosing.

IMG 2610Today we popped in and after very patiently waiting for me to browse the selection of new items, Gracen retrieved a brown paper bag and began filling it with treasures of all sorts.  With a tiny bit of help from Mama {who had specific projects in mind}, the bag was brimming with crafting goodies in no time.

IMG 2613In the end, this is what we came home with in Gracen’s $6 bag…  Everything from gift wrap to acetate sheets to brown boxes to medicine bottles and puzzle pieces…

I see a whole lot of craftiness in our future.

Urban Source is located at 3126 Main Street {Vancouver, BC} and is open daily from 10:30 to 5:30, with the exception of Sundays when they open at 11:00.


7 thoughts on “A Local Favourite: Urban Source

  1. I do love Urban Source. I was talking to one of the owners, and mentioned a similar place I used to go as a child called Imagination Market, it was down on Powell St. It was HUGE. Unsurprisingly, both the owners of Urban Source used to work there back in the day.

  2. I love stores like that. The only problem I have with these is, that I get overwhelmed, because I just don’t have the vision, what I could make out of all these lovely things.

    1. Soooo true, Peggy! Before we go, I always take a look at my Pinterest boards and figure out some of the crafts I’d like to do with Gracen in the near future. I still let her go nuts with her selections, but if I have some sort of vision, I can make sure we pick up the needed materials at least. :)

    1. Taslim, you’d love it! They have a great selection of really fun/unique new items too. It’s a small store, but even with Gracen in tow, we spend at least 30+ minutes in there.

  3. What a great store! I wish I could find one here in Florida…
    And so much stuff for $6?? They must be getting everything for free to sell so low?..

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