Gastown Throwback: Stark’s Glasglow House
Locals and travellers from all around the world congregate to The Cambie Hostel & Pub – a legendary establishment that has seen its fair share of memorable events. The Cambie houses one of Vancouver’s oldest pubs, which sits inside a 116 year-old building, formerly home to Stark’s Glasglow House.
Storefront of first Stark’s Glasgow House dry goods store on Cordova Street circa 1982
James Stark was the man behind the busines and no stranger to Gastown’s cobblestones. In 1892, he arrived in Vancouver with his family of six and opened a dry goods & millinery store on Carrall Street, and within a few years, relocated his shop to the Dunn – Miller Block on Cordova
Stark’s Glasgow House on 170 West Cordova Street circa 1907
Shop goods were delivered on an Oldsmobile, one of the earliest vehicles in Vancouver designed with no inner tube, no fender and no horn, and was oddly referred to by James as “The Rolling Peanut”.
Years later, he moved Stark’s Glasglow House into the historic building on Cordova and Cambie where The Cambie Hostel & Pub sits today. For more years than we can count, The Cambie has become a favourite watering hole to rub elbows with characters from all walks in life.
And just around the corner, you’ll find The Baker & The Chef (left). Formerly known as The Cambie Café, it was originally a bed & breakfast that served guests at the Cambie Hostel, and has since been converted into a local coffee shop providing café-style offerings from fresh daily baked pastries to homemade soups.
If our throwback posts strike your fancy, we’ve collected historic Gastown photos on our Facebook page that date all the way back to the 1900s.
