wewe ~~ 1 31 - Sunday, December 14, 1986 - North Shore News Christmas presents PAGE 34 Lean © ss ee tee CHRISTMAS shoppers’ enjoy the fresh air and variety of shops and services along Lonsdale. Avenue in North: Vancouver. The shopping district is one of the oldest in the ower Maintand and. still: offers the novelty of small town charm, — LONSDALE IS Santa’s Street. Offering unique and varied shops, a cozy atmosphere and toral convenience, North Vancouver's Lonsdale Avenue is the place to shop this Christmas. Sporting a healthy collection of stores, the street features everything that makes the Lons- dale area a tremendous one-stop Christmas shopping extravaganza. “Y think there is a small town charm that we suill have on Lons- dale,”’ says Jim Houston, past president of the Central Lonsdale Merchants Association. UNIQUE BOUTIQUES Lonsdale offers shoppers unique boutiques they might not find in some larger shopping mafls around town. It is a place for something different. “They are gencrally not chain stores,’” explains Houston, owner of 1420 for Gentlemen. ‘‘They are not restricted by management as to what they carry."” If it is something a little bit more unique that shoppers are after then Lonsdale Avenue is definitely the place for them to go, explains Hauston. “There’s a different flavor. ” There's some unique shops,"’ he goes on. A quick waJk up Lonsdale will convince any shopper that it is a Christmas buying paradise with everything from clothes to antiques to cameras. LOCATION CONVENIENT The street’s location — conve- nient to most parts of the North Shore — makes it just that little bit easier to shop during the always- hectic Christmas season. While finding parking can some- times be a problem, merchants stress shoppers should not give up — parking spaces are usually available on side strects. Service in the shops on the street is the best shoppers will find anywhere, “Generally you sce a lot of peo- ple who are there to help you,” says Houston. “They are family owned and they don’t have a lot of part-time employees.” Houston, who shops an Lons- dale as much as possible, says he has never had poor service. ‘‘Any place 1 deal with bends over backwards to give good service.” Most of the street's merchants have been in the area a long time — they know the people and more importantly they have the experi- ence to know their goods. “You get people who have pro- duct knowledge,’’ explains Houston. NUMEROUS CAFES After a hard day of Christmas gift buying, weary shoppers can stop for a bite to eat in one of the street's numerous cafes and res- taurants. With something for just about every taste and budget, it’s perfect for a light meal or snack. The newly revitalized Lower Lonsdale is now decorated for the Christmas season with colored lights in all of the trees that line the centre of the Street. In Upper Lonsdale, brightly lit wreaths adorn lamp posts on the street.