By: Kaja Antic, Staff Writer
The first time I saw Chilliwack’s District 1881 on social media, it was being compared to Disneyland. Walking through the narrow pedestrian alleyways, the brick façades of the nearby shops and restaurants give off a Main Street USA vibe.
This compact shopping centre is about an hour from SFU’s Burnaby campus via the Trans-Canada Highway, and can be reached by transit when taking BC Transit bus route 66 — the Fraser Valley Express — which departs from Lougheed Station.
It was busy when I went, but didn’t feel overcrowded at all, as visitors flitted between the small shops and restaurants. Lots of the shops allow you to bring your furry friends along — dogs of all sizes pranced around the district, happily taking in the sights alongside their humans.
There is no shortage of options for eating and drinking in District 1881. I checked out the Smoking Gun Coffee Roasters Café, a bright, charming coffee shop with its own merchandise line. I tried an iced matcha latte with oat milk, and it was one of the best I’ve had. The café also had plenty of food options, from breakfast sandwiches to vegan and gluten–free baked goods. I paired my latte with a vegan s’mores cookie, which was a soft and tasty reminder of campfires in summers past.
There are many more restaurants featuring various cuisines, and those with patios were practically buzzing as patrons enjoyed the food, beverages, and warm weather. You can find Mexican cuisine at Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen, Italian cuisine with Elevated Pizza Co. and the Azzurri Italian pasticceria, along with seafood at Bow & Stern. There’s also the breakfast-focused Uptown Grill, the classy Fortitude Wine Bar and The Offy bistro, and craft brews galore with added pub classics from Bricklayer Brewing and Field House Brewing.
Lots of boutique-style clothing stores dot the alleyways, with many featured products made in the Fraser Valley. The gift shops don’t feel like the traditional tourist trap you may see around Downtown Vancouver, as the souvenirs are either locally–sourced products or inspired by the surrounding area in some way.
You can window shop for clothes at Magnolia & Oak and Hunni’s, or check out my personal favourite — CR Sabers, which has retro video games, cosplay accessories, keychains, and lots of lightsaber parts. It’s paradise for gaming, comic book, and Star Wars enthusiasts.
Spruce Collective carries a lot of West Coast-inspired goods, from clothing to stickers to puzzles. It also holds lots of home goods and décor, with many candle scents for the fragrance fans reading this. The Local Space is full of products made in Canada, and hosts a loyalty points system for those who love to shop local.
It’s not just shops and restaurants in this area either. You can get your hair done at Cros. Studios or Private Barbershop, and get a new tattoo or piercing at Memento Mori Studios. You can also check out the rows of claw machines at the Happy Claw arcade, or the Insta Muse instant photo studio for a self-serve hit of dopamine. You can even stay the night at the stylish purple-clad Hotel Morado, located right on Thunderbird Lane.
With so much to eat, drink, see, and do in District 1881, it’s certainly worthy of a day trip from Metro Vancouver. Take advantage of the summer weather in the next couple months, wander around the different shops and restaurants in the district, and enjoy the natural landscape surrounding it. Chilliwack may seem a bit far from the greater Vancouver area, but this quaint quarter is worth all the hype, especially for those who want to support local businesses. District 1881 is a must-do for your summer 2024 bucket list!
