Jackson’s General Store
Set in the up-and-coming Cedar Cottage neighbourhood of East Van, Jackson’s General Store offers an array of sustainable, local, high quality lifestyle brands from British Columbia and across Canada.
Mike Jackson’s newest brick and mortar effort, Jackson’s General Store, brings lifestyle goods that elevate community, sustainable products and supporting creative local craftspeople, artisans and artists. He has been putting his unique approach, the ‘timeless shop experience,’ out to Vancouverites for over several decades.
First with a shop called Thriller on the West 4th ‘ole Westbeach strip. Then with Studiotique, which was positioned in the Mount Pleasant Kingsway-Fraser vortex and now with Jackson’s General Store located at the up-and-coming Cedar Cottage Kingsway neighbourhood.
Each shop evolving from a heavy snow/skate focus, to a print shop boutique vibe to the current revival of the general store/tuck shop with a modern twist.
We popped in for a preview and shot a short video then sat down with Mike to chat about the shop and the brands he is jazzed to offer his customers.
Q&A
LV: Describe the look, feel and vibe you are going for with the shop.
MJ: I wanted to create a small town country general store with a curated boutique feeling. I think we did it.
LV: What products that you carry are you super jazzed about?
MJ: Jazzed? My Mom used to say that, and snazzy too. It’s tough to say, but in general I am elated that so many local vendors from home and gift to gourmet foods and self-care/grooming. All were stoked to sell to me. A lot of independent, BC and Canadian small brands – that was one of my mandates. The retro candy has been well received by all accounts.
LV: You’ve been riding the store owner cart and pony show for decades. What keeps you going when the going gets gnarly?
MJ: Since as long as I can remember, I’ve been a merchant/hustler. I was the little kid setting up the lemonade stand and also selling rock jewelry, found objects and artwork we made up. What keeps me going is understanding that there will always be ups and downs. To paraphrase Churchill, if you’re going through hell, keep going. That roughly describes my past six months in dealing with the City. My passion is the creativity and when I come up with an idea, I can market test it within a day and get instant feedback, hopefully good. That drives me to be creative and keep pushing and evolving.
LV: Tell us about your recent move to the up-and-coming Cedar Cottage neighbourhood from your previous Mount Pleasant location.
MJ: The old Y Franks building was/is a well-known landmark. I had an opportunity to quadruple my business space for just about the same amount of gross rent. I wanted to take my retail game up a notch and run this thing for a four to six year term and see what becomes of it. We’re getting lots of support from the neighbours and I know this little hub I call Bromont, is going to explode.
LV: With the likes of Amazon, Shopify and global shifts to online shopping, what role do you see brick and mortar shop playing? What changes might you predict for the future?
MJ: I never ever shop online. I’m a touch-it-feel-it buyer. In some off beat way I think QVC and the likes of AMAZON kill the personality of brands and products. I’m the #antiamazon and I love it. It’s a harkening back to the mom-and-pop shops. Keeping money in the community, supporting locals and not lining the pockets of everyone else. There is a movement back to my type of shop, like Marche St George and Charles Grocery Café. These spaces begin to define neighbourhoods and communities.
LV: What Vancouver-based shops out there do you feel ‘get it?’
MJ: All the local breweries and shops like Federal Store, Charles Grocery, The Fluorist and Marche St. George, kitsch-e-resto’s like Rumpus room, Zottenburg & Sons, Storm Brewing and Slickety Jims. These people get it.
LV: After the shop opens and is killing it, what’s next for you? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?
MJ: Lots. Working on my art show for Spring 2020, hopefully finish a retrospective book about my business over 30 years, which I have been working on for five years; working title: I’m a Logo. I want to take the Grubwear product offering up a level too. And of course work less so I can hang more with my family.
