Shopping in Victoria BC on Historic Government Street
Our most popular location for shopping in Victoria BC has got to be Government Street. Lined with historic buildings that house unique shops who sell local and regional goods, Government Street is the go-to destination for gift, souvenir, jewelry and clothing shopping in Victoria BC. And a very cool fact about Government Street is its claim to fame as being the first Canadian street built west of the Rockies (according to MacLean magazine’s The Streets of Canada article).
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To help you plan your shopping along this iconic street, we'll identify all the businesses from the Inner Harbour to Johnson Street, complete with a brief description of the products you will find. Let’s get started beginning on the west side (water side) of Government Street and heading north towards Johnson.
Government Street Shopping in Victoria BC
The West Side
800-Block
The first building located on the corner at 816 Government Street is the former Victoria Customs House. As of this writing, the building is under construction as it is being converted into luxury condominiums. It is unclear now if there will be retail shops located on the street level.
900-Block
- Frankie's Modern Diner - Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner all made from scratch, in-house every day. Specializing in fresh Italian food.
- Royal Victoria Gifts & Souvenirs - Souvenirs and gifts.
- Burger King - Fast food restaurant featuring burgers, fries and soft drinks.
- 7-Eleven - A convenience store with drinks, snacks, tobacco and lottery.
1000-Block
- Out of Ireland Irish Importers - An eclectic collection of Irish knitwear, clothing, jewellery, fashion accessories, and gifts.
- Artina's Jewellery - Specializing in unique, handcrafted jewellery featuring a variety of Canadian artists including aboriginal West Coast carvers and contemporary jewellers.
- Black Goat Cashmere - A Canadian company featuring luxurious hand-finished cashmere garments.
- Chocolats Favoris - An artisanal chocolate shop that began in Québec City, Chocolate Favoris features European-inspired traditionally made chocolates and fondues.
- Lush - Hair, face and body products made using the freshest ingredients, not tested on animals and sold fresh to customers.
- Bard & Banker - Scottish-style pub with kilt-clad servers & live music. Features local craft beer, whisky and a full service menu that is locally sourced when possible, and made from scratch.
1100-Block
- Lugaro Jewellers - Features certified Canadian diamonds, gemstones and fine watches.
- Munro's Books - A landmark bookstore in a heritage building. Ships books worldwide.
- Murchie's Tea and Coffee - Over 125 years of tea in Canada. Store includes a gift shop with tea-inspired merchandise.
- Old Morris Tobacconists - Cigars, pipes, tobacco & smoking apparel.
- Garrick's Head Pub - One of the oldest English pubs in Canada with Victoria’s largest selection of craft and import beers on tap and traditional English pub fare.
1200-Block
- Irish Times Pub - Recent winners of Best Irish Pub in North America and Best Irish Entertainment Venue, this is the place to go for Irish food, drink and music.
- Running Room - Founded in Edmonton, Alberta and now with over 100 locations across Canada and USA, Running Room is a store for runners, by runners. Find running apparel, shoes and accessories.
- Eddie Bauer - First opened in Seattle in 1920, Eddie Bauer is a clothing store synonymous with outdoor adventure.
1300-Block
- I.O.N. Clothing - Clothing, accessories and body care with house brands that are created by local designers, made with hemp blends and other organic eco certified fabrics, and manufactured entirely in Canada.
- Souvenir Outlet Victoria - Souvenirs and gifts.
- Blue Sky Clothing - A ladies fashion store featuring classic and modern styles for all shapes and sizes in natural, breathable fabrics.
- Roberta's Hats - Small but funky hat shop featuring every style and design you can think of.
- Kaboodles Victoria - An awesome toy store for the kid in everyone. Features a large selection of Playmobil, Lego, toys, books, games and stuffies.
- Lore General - Featuring handmade goods from small independent companies and makers in Canada, the USA, and around the world, with products such as ceramics, beeswax candles, tinctures, teas and superfoods.
- Cowichan Trading Company - The place to go for authentic handcrafted Cowichan sweaters and knits, First Nations jewelry, masks, carvings, and art.
That was just one side of the road! If you continue on this side of the street, you'll pass Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) and arrive at Chinatown but we're going to direct you to cross the road at this point to continue your shopping in Victoria BC adventure down the east side of Government Street.
Government Street Shopping in Victoria BC
The East Side
1300-Block
- Fjallraven - With roots in Sweden, Fjallraven is an outdoor clothing and equipment store.
- B&C Victoria - Bois & Cuir features mainly industrial and vintage style furniture (designed in Montreal) lighting and décor. Shipping within Canada available.
- Spank Clothing - Founded in Vancouver BC, Spank focuses on Canadian and independent labels for their women's clothing and accessories.
- Starbucks - Seattle-based coffee shop known world-wide for its signature roasts and light snacks.
1200-Block
- Sasquatch Trading Ltd. - A sister store to Cowichan Trading Ltd. on the west side of the street - this is the place to go for authentic handcrafted Cowichan sweaters and knits, First Nations jewelry, masks, carvings, and art.
- Roots - An iconic Canadian casual apparel store inspired by the wilderness of Algonquin Park featuring clothing, shoes, leather handbags and more.
- Lole Victoria - Founded in Montreal, Quebec, Lole has created women’s travel and outerwear for all seasons.
- Migration Victoria - A collection of hand-made, west coast inspired fashion, jewellery, accessories and gifts from 65+ local and direct trade artists and designers.
- Ecologyst - Previously known as Sitka, Ecologyst features Canadian-made apparel, eco-friendly surfboards, camping accessories & more.
- New Balance Victoria - Athletic footwear and fitness apparel.
1100-Block
- Earl's Kitchen & Bar - Restaurant chain featuring gourmet burgers and comfort food.
- The Bay Centre - Shopping mall with over 90 street front and interior shops covering an entire full city block featuring Hudson's Bay.
- Below the Belt - Casual clothing shop for men and women who frequently carry unique Vancouver Island inspired graphic tees and sweatshirts.
1000-Block
- Maison Birks - An iconic Canadian jeweller since 1879. Birks is one of the first companies to offer diamonds mined in Canada. Each stone is engraved with a unique serial number associated with the mine of origin.
- Irish Linen Stores - Located in the same location for over 100 years, the store features authentic Irish linens and one-of-a-kind sweaters.
- Glam & Fame Clothing | Breathable Naturals - A Canadian women's clothing company utilizing breathable, natural fabrics. Features a Made in Canada collection in sizes 2-24.
- Candy Shop - The name says it all!
- Oh Gelato - A treat shop featuring gelato, frozen yogurt, cookies, candy and souvenirs.
- Cool as a Moose - Fun clothing, gifts and souvenirs.
- Little Blue House - Canadian shop featuring colourfully printed apparel, sleepwear and trendsetting rainwear inspired by the wilds of Canada.
- Save On Souvenir - Souvenirs and gifts.
900-Block
- Government Street Gift Shop - Souvenirs and gifts.
- Roger's Chocolates - A local icon since 1885, featuring gourmet chocolates and specialty treats to suit every sweet tooth.
- Rocky Mountain Chocolate - In Canada since 1988, featuring chocolates, candies, fudge, brittle, ice cream and incredible caramel apples!
- Northwest Origins (was 901 Government) - Gifts and souvenirs made by local First Nation artists such as Totem Poles, Plaques, Canoes, Panels and Jewelry as well as products from First Nation Artists across Canada.
800-Block
- Spirit of Victoria - Souvenirs and gifts.
- Merchant Quarters General Store - A modern general store fashioned from the early general merchant stores of the 1800's who sell products that are produced here in B.C. by local artisans and makers as much as possible.
Six blocks of amazing stores, right? If you didn't find quite what you were looking for or you're just not done shopping in Victoria BC, there's lots more to see. Try the unique stores along Johnson Street - affectionately known as "lo-Jo", Market Square, Chinatown or Trounce Alley. Happy shopping!
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