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Retail in Richmond is unusually concentrated for a city of just over two hundred thousand people. Richmond Centre and Lansdowne Centre cover the mainstream mall trade in Brighouse; a few blocks north, Aberdeen Centre, Yaohan, Parker Place and President Plaza form an Asian retail district with no real equivalent in Canada. Ironwood Plaza handles the southeast, and the big-box showrooms sit off Bridgeport Road at the north end.
Then there are the independents, which are worth the detour: the gift shops, galleries and outfitters along Moncton Street in Steveston, the plaza shops at Blundell, Seafair and Terra Nova Village, and the farm stands and nurseries out east. Florists, pet stores, hardware, books, bikes and jewellery all live in this section.
Working jewellery studio in Steveston Village where the pieces are designed and made on site. Custom engagement and remount work is a big part of the business, and they also run hands-on classes if you want to make a ring yourself.
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Independent shop on Alexandra Road selling road, mountain, electric, commuter and kids' bikes alongside components, helmets and cycling shoes. Repairs and tune-ups are quoted free up front, which makes it a straightforward place to bring an older bike.
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Corner flower shop at Westminster Highway and Gilbert Road, a short walk from Richmond Hospital, which is why a lot of get-well and sympathy orders start here. Long-tenured owner who will build to a budget, plus local delivery.
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Piano dealer and recital hall on Bridgeport Road, with roots going back to a repair business started in 1936. Carries Kawai, Bosendorfer and Roland digital pianos, and runs an attached music school. Tuning and restoration are handled in house.
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Seating and home furnishings shop on level one of Aberdeen Centre, selling sofas, recliners and accent chairs. A small showroom rather than a warehouse, so expect a curated set of models with fabric and leather options to order.
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Independent Lansdowne Centre showroom specialising in solid mahogany furniture. Dining sets, tables, desks and storage cabinets in both classic and cleaner modern shapes, aimed at buyers who want hardwood rather than veneer over particleboard.
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Independent discount furniture and mattress outlet on the east end of Bridgeport Road. Sofas, beds, mattresses and household basics at outlet pricing, open daily. Worth a look before paying chain prices if you are furnishing a rental or a first place.
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Destination nursery on No. 6 Road in east Richmond known for unusual perennials, edibles and rare plants you will not find at a big box. It runs plant workshops and mail order, and is open daily through the growing season.
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Steveston garden centre on No. 1 Road with a strong perennial, annual and ornamental grass selection, plus containers, garden statuary and giftware. Its hanging baskets pull in shoppers from well beyond Richmond each spring.
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East Richmond specialist in electric bikes, trikes and mobility scooters, with sales, service and repairs under one roof. Test rides are encouraged, and the trike and mobility side makes it a useful option for riders who want stability over speed.
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Independent footwear shop at Richmond Centre carrying dress and casual styles you will not find in the chain stores next door. A smaller, owner-run counter, so ask if your size is in the back rather than assuming what is on display is all there is.
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Chinese-language bookshop on the upper level of Aberdeen Centre, carrying traditional-character titles alongside stationery and magazines. One of the few places in Metro Vancouver to browse a serious Chinese book selection in person.
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High-end piano showroom on the third level of Aberdeen Centre and BC's exclusive dealer for several European makers including Fazioli. Also runs a music academy on site, so you can hear the instruments being played most days you visit.
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Independent toy shop in the Hepworth Block in Steveston Village. Curated rather than crammed: wooden toys, Lego, Playmobil, puzzles, board games, kites and craft kits. The reliable answer to a last-minute birthday present in the south of Richmond.
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Independent Steveston skate shop, open since 2013. Builds and repairs complete skateboards and longboards, stocks decks, trucks and wheels from Landyachtz, Sector 9 and Powell Peralta, and carries helmets, pads and slide gloves for the seawall crowd.
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Long-standing neighbourhood shop a block off the Steveston waterfront, selling bicycles and mobility equipment and handling everyday repairs, tune-ups and accessories. A local first call for a flat, a seized chain or a wheel true.
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Small independent bookshop in the middle of Steveston Village selling new and used titles, with a genuine specialty in British Columbia history, local maritime subjects and regional writing. Worth a browse if you are researching the fishing village's past.
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Maternity and children's boutique that has been on Moncton Street since 2011. Carries pregnancy and nursing clothing, baby and kids' wear, footwear and accessories, and is one of the few dedicated maternity shops left anywhere in Richmond.
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A long-running full-service flower shop in the No. 1 Road plaza in west Richmond, handling everyday bouquets, sympathy and funeral work, and wedding orders. Locals use it for same-day arrangements without driving into Vancouver.
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Family-run shop on Williams Road in south Richmond doing hand-tied bouquets, arrangements and event work, with delivery across the city. Handy if you live south of Blundell and don't want to drive up to the City Centre malls.
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Family-run Steveston bike shop trading since 2007. Sells Giant, Liv and Marin bikes, rents hybrids, commuters and e-bikes for the dyke trails, and does certified mechanical work. They also collect and drop off bikes for service around Richmond.
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Steveston bookshop and cafe in one room, stocking mostly secondhand titles with some new releases. You can trade in your own books for store credit, and the espresso bar means people settle in rather than browse and leave. Separate kids' and adult sections.
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Family greenhouse operation on No. 2 Road near Steveston that grows about 90 percent of what it sells across roughly 25,000 square feet of glass. Best known for hanging baskets, geraniums and bedding plants, plus bulbs in fall.
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From the blog
Guides and roundups written for Richmond, with the businesses linked inline.
Nothing on Alexandra Road is a hidden gem. It is just in a strip mall with bad signage and no patio, which is why visitors never find it. Here is how I actually use Richmond's plazas and food courts, which specialists are worth the drive, and when not to bother.
The West Dyke Trail is about five and a half kilometres of flat gravel between Terra Nova Rural Park and Garry Point, and I ride it most mornings. Here is what is actually at the north end, which way to walk so the wind is on your side, and why winter is the better season for it.
I live four blocks off Moncton Street, so this is the Steveston I actually use: where to park before the Bayview lots fill, how to buy fish straight off the boats at the wharf, the honest answer to the Pajo's versus Dave's question, and why the history here is not decoration.
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