Original report: new Union Market operator mindful to avoid gentrifying, while balancing costs

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Good morning, 

Nate with you today. For my entire (conscious) life, housing has been a big topic of conversation amongst my fellow Vancouverites. I’ve grown to understand it’s an evergreen issue, not only here, but nearly everywhere in the province. 

I was recently speaking with an older gentleman who moved to Vancouver in the early ‘70s and bought a house in the heart of the West End for about $70,000. Now, the home is worth nearly $3.5 million. 

I don’t bring this up to cast shade on him or anyone else who’s benefited handsomely from the equity they’ve built since Vancouver was thought of as a backwater port town. But there is an element of luck to this situation — and the many other stories like it — that can make younger generations envious. 

Frankly, I see this as a foundational divide in our community, which rears its head in all sorts of meat-and-potatoes issues. We’ll get to that in our second story. 

But first, an original report on a revamped community staple in Strathcona, as well as the news and arts updates you expect here.

Let’s get to it!

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free.

WEATHER

Wednesday: 19 🌡️ 9 | 🌤️

Thursday: 21 🌡️ 11 | 🌤️

Friday: 18 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️

CAFE CULTURE

Original report: new Union Market operator mindful to avoid gentrifying, while balancing costs

What happened: The Union Market in Strathcona has reopened under new management. After 31 years in Strathcona, the legendary Portuguese market and cafe, owned and operated by the Bernardino family, closed down in October 2023. Now, it’s back up and running under the same name, but with a new operator.

A fresh opportunity: For local cook, baker, and restaurateur Aman Loodu, the soft opening of the new Union Market in late May was a long time coming. The pandemic made it difficult for Loodu to work in a customer-facing role. Masks made it impossible to read lips, which was a major challenge for Loodu, who is hearing impaired. 

• Loodu had always wanted to open his own place, so he pivoted to opening a cafe where he could make and sell snacks, baked goods, and coffee. After a false start at a location on Broadway and Kingsway, Loodu was on the lookout for a new storefront. 

As a cyclist, the market had been on Loodu’s route for a long time, but in spring 2023 he started scoping it out as a potential site for his cafe venture. After monitoring foot and bike traffic from the nearby mini-park, and watching the lease price drop, Loodu made a formal visit to enquire about acquiring the cozy corner cafe. 

• It took six months after that visit to close a deal, but Loodu and the Bernardino’s were able to reach a lease agreement just before the original market closed. 

New crew, same as the old: Coming in, Loodu was very mindful that he didn’t want to be another business coming to Strathcona and gentrifying the neighbourhood. 

• “I had no intention of coming in and [renovating] with a slick, fancy looking place,” Loodu told Vancity Lookout. Everything in the store is recycled and reclaimed, outside of a new dishwasher and a couple new tables, Loodu said. 

He’s also rehired the current tenant living in the suite above the market — who’s lived there for nearly 20 years — and who’d originally got the place because they worked at the old market. Loodu and the tenant got to know each other during renovations this past winter, which led to Loodu offering them the job. 

• Another one of their staff members lives directly behind the market, while two other staff members also live in Strathcona. 

In terms of pricing, Loodu is wary of increasing prices but has business realities to contend with. 

• The Bernardino’s kept their prices low, but Loodu says customers should keep in mind they had no mortgage. Now, Loodu is paying “fair market value” on his lease (the Bernardino’s still own the store and the house behind it) and that’s reflected in the new pricing. Loodu said he’s trying to create high quality products at a range of prices, from $3-10 for pastries and pre-made sandwiches. 

“Curveball”: Initially, Loodu had conceived the business as a spot to get a fresh-made meal, as well as the pastry and to-go offerings that customers came to expect under the market’s previous iteration. 

• However, due to his licensing, Loodu can only sell pre-packaged food, in addition to pastries and coffee. That dashed his plans to make sandwiches and pizzas to order. 

“Navigating the city [regulations] and the health board permitting, when you’re dealing with an old house, is always very, very nerve wracking. Everyone I’ve dealt with has been great and professional. However, it was a very time consuming process,” Loodu explained. 

Zoom out: Much like Koko sushi restaurant, which is shutting down this week according to the Vancouver Sun, the reason the Bernardino’s sold their business is presumably simple; the people who run these beloved spots want to retire. 

• Generally, however, high rents and mortgages, permitting oddities, rising costs, and thin margins across the industry make it challenging for local restaurants and cafes to compete and thrive amongst their bigger competitors.  

What to expect: The market and cafe is currently closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as they hire and train a second pastry chef. The plan is to expand their hours from 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week by early July.

• They also don’t accept cash, mostly because Loodu doesn’t have a car, making frequent bank runs challenging. However, he’s working on a gift card system that would allow customers to use their cash and get change in the form of store credit.

“Keep their legacy going”: For Loodu, It was important to continue the tradition that the previous owners had established. A big part of that was the custard tarts. 

With help from the Bernardino’s – Gloria and her son David – Loodu and his pastry chef have recreated the market’s famous Portuguese custard tarts, going through multiple test batches to make sure they could deliver a pastry that lives up to expectations.

Editor’s note: Aman and Nate are former co-workers.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

🪵 18: The updated allowable number of stories that City of Vancouver staff are recommending for new mass timber buildings. The province adopted the same changes in late 2023. [COV]

🤬 3: The number of B.C. mayors who are upset after having their applications for federal disaster relief funding rejected. Abbotsford, Merritt, and Princeton were all significantly impacted by the November 2021 flooding event. [CBC]

EMIGRATION

B.C. residents poised to leave due to housing costs

What happened: Over a third of British Columbians might leave the province, according to a recent poll. 

• The details: About 36% of B.C. residents are “seriously thinking” about leaving the province due to the cost of housing. The numbers were virtually the same in Metro Vancouver when responses were broken down by region. 

Age matters: These numbers are significantly higher for younger and middle-aged people, with nearly 50% of 18-54 year-olds surveyed saying they’re seriously considering leaving the province, while only about 20% of people aged 55+ said the same. 

To immigrate or emigrate: The number may be even higher in Metro Vancouver, with a different survey commissioned by Postmedia finding half of the people living here are thinking about leaving the region.

You may recall the Alberta government’s ad campaign (‘Alberta is calling’) to lure people out of B.C., Ontario, and Quebec, and over to wild rose country. 

• In 2023, Alberta’s population increased by over 200,000, which is the largest annual increase in the province’s history, according to Global. Most of this immigration came from outside the country, however Alberta posted a net gain of over 55,000 people from other Canadian provinces. 

In the same year, B.C. had a net loss of 8,000 people who moved from one province to another, the first time that had happened in a decade, according to polling service Angus Reid. Alberta remains the most popular destination for interprovincial migration from B.C., according to BC Stats.

• It’s about $800 cheaper to rent a two bedroom apartment in Edmonton, compared to Vancouver, while Calgary is $500 cheaper, according to CMHC data from early 2024. Meanwhile, the average Vancouver house resells for over $1.1 million, while that figure is about $400,000 in Edmonton and just under $600,000 in Calgary, according to the CMHC.

What it means: Clearly, based on survey results, young and middle-aged people are feeling existential pressure from the high costs of B.C.’s housing market. While other provinces do offer more affordable housing, Metro Vancouver continues to grow, with the region projected to reach 3 million people this year, according to Urbanized. 

While debates will continue about the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of funding the regional infrastructure upgrades needed to keep up with population growth, there appears to be a sharp generational divide among British Columbians. As usual, it’s driven by the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ of housing. 

THE AGENDA

🧑‍✈ An audio exchange between a Harbour Air pilot and a control tower revealed the pilot was made aware of an approaching boat, prior to a collision between the two vessels. An investigation into Saturday’s incident in Coal Harbour is still being conducted. [CTV]

📵 Elementary students in Vancouver schools will have to keep their phones on silent and out of sight, after the Vancouver School Board trustees passed a motion to that effect earlier this week. The motion also called for the establishment of a working group to monitor the new rules. [Global]

🚂 After numerous disruptions over the past four years, the Stanley Park Train could start running smoothly again. The park board plans to run the train from Wednesday to Sunday for the summer season, starting in July. [City News]

⚽ Vancouver has announced they’ll be hosting the city’s “FIFA Fan Festival” at the PNE during the 2026 World Cup. The event will run for the duration of the five week tournament, and include access to the “spectacular new amphitheatre, which… will be an important arts and culture legacy venue for British Columbia,” according to PNE CEO Shelley Frost. [COV]

✅ Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim will retain his seat on the Vancouver Police Board, despite a challenge for the position from Coun. Pete Fry. Three councillors who are not party of the ruling ABC party, including Fry, voted against Sim keeping the position – largely due to the city’s police union endorsing Sim and ABC Vancouver in the 2022 election. [VIA] 

🎉 Good news for anyone planning to travel to the US this summer, as the unions representing Canadian border guards have reached a tentative agreement with the federal government, avoiding the possibility of a strike. [Global]

🚓 The saga over policing in Surrey may have finally come to an end. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke (who campaigned on keeping the RCMP in Surrey) said she’s accepted the recent judicial review that ruled the province is within its rights to mandate a transition to the Surrey Police Service. [City News] 

🌉 A boater who found a young man floating in False Creek last summer is among the people calling for suicide prevention fencing on the Granville Street Bridge. A $50 million upgrade to the bridge, which has been underway for over a year, doesn’t include fences like the ones added to the Burrard Bridge in 2016. [VIA]

DREAM HOME

Speaking of the generational divide in housing, ownership would be a ‘dream’ for many folks below the age of 55, regardless of the place. 

This West End home is a small house on a large lot right across the street from Barclay Heritage Square, featuring four bedrooms, and a new roof, which you could buy for “massive potential future appreciation,” according to the listing. But that “opportunity” will cost you a pretty penny… 

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.

ARTS

Theatre

The Enby 6 are hosting their final show at the Junction Pub on Thursday, June 13. The non-binary drag troupe has been performing at the West End venue for two and half years. It’s a late one, show starts at 11:30, cover $15. 

Comedian Marc Maron will be in town on June 21 at the Vogue Theatre. Tickets for the popular comedian start at $50. Geoff is a fan of Maron’s work in the Netflix series Glow.

Music

Starting June 15, the Rickshaw Theatre is throwing a multi-night 15-year anniversary blowout featuring all local bands. Read more about what the Rickshaw means to the Vancouver music scene in this lovely feature. You can get tickets, starting at $37, here. 

Vampire Weekend is playing at Deer Lake Park on June 18, with tickets starting at $75.

Movies 

The Cinematheque downtown is hosting the third annual Vancouver Greek Film Festival, featuring seven films. The festival runs until June 27 and you can find ticketing information here ($14).  

If you’re a Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli fan, you can catch My Neighbour Totoro on the big screen at the Rio Theatre on June 15. GA tickets $14, kids $5. 

Art

From now until September 22, the Vancouver Art Gallery is putting on Copy Machine Manifesto, the first exhibition dedicated to the rich history of five decades of artists’ zines produced in North America. GA $29 or book in advance for Free First Fridays.  

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Public Disco was pooping off on Granville Island last weekend!

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• From being discovered at a talent show in a Vancouver pub, to now becoming a celebrity coach on The Voice, Michael Bublé’s career is the stuff of local legend. [Georgia Straight]

• Korean fried chicken, yes please. Count me in for the soft opening of this new joint on Fraser. [VIA]

• Is going to the strip club a religious experience? This dancer thinks so [Georgia Straight]

• Dan Mangan needs love too. The ‘Robots’ singer, from Vancouver by way of Smithers, is getting appreciation from an American sitcom star [VIA]

• First it was Sal y Limon, now Lee’s Donuts… YVR is stocking up on tasty Vancouver food franchises [Georgia Straight]

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VANCOUVER GUESSER

This is one entrance to an off-leash dog park with a unique history. Respond with the name of the park and we’ll include your name in Friday’s issue!