Located in the heart of Gastown, Sharks & Hammers, is a definite stop for any person looking to take a piece of East Vancouver back home with them. The shop enjoys good company with other major retailers in and around the neighbourhood, but remains unique in the way it presents itself.  With exclusive apparel, toys, beer cozies, hip-hop literature/zines, and other hip-hop memorabiliba, this ‘hood shop clearly sets itself apart from the others.

Sharks and Hammers carries brands such as: Upper Playground, Six Pack France, Mishka, Not Bad for a Girl, Burlesque and Addict. The shop also takes pride in carrying local brands such as Welcome to Eastvan, which has become a favourite of locals and tourists in recent seasons and only continues to gain popularity with new T-shirt designs and items such as the “I went to Eastvan and all I got was mugged” mug.

Shop owner Alex Rhek, has been operating the shop for the past two years and shows no signs of slowing down. “The past two years have been exciting, and we are always getting good shit!” says Rhek. “In the next year, we are planning to hopefully move directly across the street and be one of the first ‘hood shops with a sushi restaurant inside. Keep a lookout for that!” 

When visiting also make sure to check out the in-store cassette collection, which is honestly one of the best we’ve ever seen.