Salmagundi West

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! I found this place today and I would totally come back sometime to take a look when it isn't so crowded (there was an event happening today). This little gem is loaded with cool antiques, vintage magazines, photos, furniture, taxidermy, occult treasures, and more... it was incredible and I'm upset I didn't find it earlier. Apparently it's been around since the 70's!

The psychic fair that they had going on was smaller than expected. There was a vendor selling necklaces and a couple of tarot card/palm readings. It was still fun and I'm glad I found about about Salmagundi through the event.

Everyone should come here at least once!

I love the shape and quirkiness of this joint, the other-worldy, hey, Madam Esmerelda may just roll in at any given moment. I do wish it had more on offer that seemed accessible. It seemed like it was almost too esoteric or like I needed to be a sage-burning, tarot card reading, belly dancer to fully appreciate the available repertoire. The downstairs had tons of vintage local cabinet cards (swoon), and some fun furniture and vintage clothes.

Such a cool place! The only reason I am giving four stars instead of five is because I wish there was more. I feel like there could be a ton more things, especially on the bottom floor. The store has a certain atmosphere that makes you feel like you are somewhere special. I love all the weird, interesting, and unique items they have. The top floor is better than the bottom, the items are better and there are more of them. You can then go down some rickety stairs to the bottom floor to check out the rest of the stuff. Don't forget to open all the cabinet drawers to check out the random stuff in them. The items in the store vary in price, you can find things at every price point. The owner was very nice and helpful and I am very pleased with my purchases.

Hands down my favourite shop in Gastown. Creepy goodness that astounds the imagination, then cuteness you could fill up a shoe box with. Gifts for the insane, like myself, unique gift cards for anyone, old photographs of people and places in frames or on post cards, or how about an anatomically correct hermaphrodite human organ model. Uh-huh.
Actually, I think the place is haunted, too... just to add to the attraction.

52/100
I love antiquing. It is an old hobby I do not try to indulge in too much as I can get carried away!! So I popped in here one day when I was wandering by. I don't know what drew me in. Probably all the interesting items in the window. Oddities, I think they call them. While I was there someone called on the phone looking for a skull of some sort, but I was much too busy admiring all the interesting things. There is even a Chinese medicine cabinet downstairs that is full of stuff you can look through. Again, I could spent all day and a lot of money but chose onkly to leave with two items a rose knob http://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/salmagundi-west-vancouver?select=AsxcIU8fRRQBOg-NdgxqvA#AsxcIU8fRRQBOg-NdgxqvA and a string of red beads I used on a DIY project.

Salmagundi definitely has it's fair share of oddities, but it had a few more mass-produced items than I expected. Things get really weird downstairs. I recommend descending the rickety staircase and exploring down below.

The basement is absolutely haunted. I felt a presence immediately. Go experience it for yourself.

On the surface, this store looks like your average antique store. It's situated in that building that comes to a point where Trounce Alley and Cordova Street meet, and the windows are filled with old china and silvery things. But come inside and make your way down the stairs to the basement, and you will find a wonderful selection of old-fashioned cards and wrappings, retro wind-up toys, and all kinds of gifty things.

The really special thing about Salmagundi is the giant antique Chinese chest along one wall. It has, literally, over 100 little drawers, each filled with delightful novelties, toys, candies, and soaps. I can easily spend over an hour down there, looking in all the drawers and playing (gently) with cool tin toys that look like the ones we used to have at Grandma's house.

If you're needing a unique last-minute gift for someone, this is a good place to find it. Prices do seem to me to be a little steep for trinkets, but nobody said nostalgia was cheap.

Ain't no villians in this store, but there sure is a lot of retro goods. Its like hanging out in your grandma's cluttered attic filled with strange objects of desire. Ain't no party like my Nana's tea party... hey... ho! For example, they had a light hanging when you first walk in and the chandelier around it just happens to be a trumpet! Whoever had to wire that shit up deserves some recognition. They also had some cool crow skulls (not real ones) that you could buy as necklaces, funky stationary, and oversized old-school-looking scissors that could probably cut your fingers off. These were obviously just invented so people could tell us not to run with them, but sometimes I like to live on the wild side.

The store is kinda cramped, so its probably a good thing I'm skinny, and there are some awkward stairs that you can take to go downstairs where there are more bizarre old things. Even if you don't plan on buying anything, its kind of fun to stop in and just look at stuff, cuz there's just so much of it!

Did you know that the original meaning of this quirky word comes from an English 17th Century salad made up of seafood, vegetables, meat, flowers, nuts, leaves, vinegar and oil? Yumm-o! Apparently the importance to this dish was in the presentation or geometrical shapes they made out of it..so it's only fair that this antique stores utilizes space accordingly.

Once down the stairs, the hidden treasures add a sense of joy and play to your next purchase. Tiny toys, gadgets, gifts, postcards, instruments, old typewriters and dolls fills large antique chests for your viewing pleasure.

Great place for some rare collectibles . Bit messy but you'll find something to stare at or laugh about at every square foot . Friendly customer service .