Old Faithful Shop Gastown

Vancouver has an endless supply of remarkable boutiques in all corners of the city. From Main Street to Kitsilano, there is no shortage of unique shops to discover. One of my new found favourites is the Old Faithful Shop Gastown located at 320 W. Cordova Street.

A Must Visit Gastown Boutique

Located in the heart of Gastown, this emporium of indie brands is owned and operated by Savannah Olsen (an Edmontonian expat) and Walter Manning. The shop was opened two years ago and is a nod to the old timey general stores that were once found in the area.

UPDATE: it’s been 13 years since I originally published this post and the shop is still operating out of their original location which is now their flagship store as they’ve opened a second boutique in Kitsilano.

Inside the Old Faithful Shop

The shop is an aesthetic dream to put it lightly. Its clean lines and heavy wood furniture makes you feel like you’re in a modern cabin. I could have spent hours touching and smelling. The second I set foot in the shop I immediately honed in on the apothecary section as I am helpless against good packaging design and olfactory delights.

The shop mainly focuses on housewares and niche personal care items. Here is a little haul of what I purchased from my visit: cedar incense, a new fragrance, and a locally handmade soap.

Apothecary & Housewares

The Old Faithful Shop was where I first came across the brand D.S. & Durga which, as of 2025, is much more widely available. The scent I got, Siberian Snow, is now discontinued. Shockingly, I still have the perfume which is impossible to find now.

According to their website from 2013 via the Internet Archive, this is how they describe the scent: “Rare, narcotic jasmine, crisp mint, Oriental amber, sandalwood & powdery incense. Worn by Countess Anna Vladoska at her legendary balls.”

Another niche scent I bought in 2012 was Santa Maria Novella Muschio Oro which I still have and love all these years later.

Shopkeep Archives

If I have one regret after returning from London it’s that I didn’t keep a photojournal of all my favourite shops there. In my neighbourhood (Shoreditch) alone, there were countless independent stores full of lovely bits and bobs.

Local businesses and small boutiques are my favourite way to shop (when I’m not out thrifting of course.) So this is my attempt at keeping a record now of these magical places that may not last forever IRL.

photographs - sandy joe karpetz