The Serious Shopper's Guide to Vancouver and Beyond

Ann Turner is Financial and Budget Manager, University of British
Columbia Library.

Serious shoppers, like serious tourists, know in advance what they want
to see and plan their expeditions accordingly so as to use their time
efficiently. But while tourist guides to Vancouver and the Lower
Mainland abound, shoppers have had to make do with the Yellow Pages,
standard street maps, and tips from friends until now. This “tourist
guide for shoppers” covers 32 major shopping areas, including 42 malls
and 7 public markets, with the organization and thoroughness of a good
sightseeing guide. There are maps of each area, with the notable shops
identified and described in a natural walking progression. Stores and
restaurants were selected if they offered bargains, but also if they
were unusual, interesting, or amusing. The annotations include
addresses, telephone numbers, open hours, and a description of the
goods. Indexes by product type and by store name make planning easy, and
a general introduction to each area describes the best approach routes
from both within and outside the Lower Mainland. As with any guidebook,
the attractions may change after publication. The canny shopper calls
ahead.