Since 1988, Attic Treasures has held down a corner of Commercial Drive in East Vancouver dedicated entirely to furniture, lighting, and decor from the mid-century decades, roughly the 1930s through the 1970s, at a time when many shops that started alongside it have long since closed or moved on. That kind of longevity on one of Vancouver’s most-watched retail strips says something about how the shop has managed to stay relevant across nearly four decades of changing design trends, and it has earned multiple Best in Vancouver recognitions from the Georgia Straight along the way.
The floor is built around genuinely iconic mid-century pieces rather than reproductions or generic vintage-adjacent stock: Eames lounge chairs, teak sideboards, sculptural lighting, and the kind of clean-lined case goods and seating that defined mid-century modern design when it was new. Because the shop is selective about condition, much of what arrives needs little to no restoration before it goes on the floor, which matters to buyers who want a piece they can use immediately rather than a project. That selectivity has also made Attic Treasures a trusted name well beyond retail shoppers; the shop supplies furniture, lighting, and decor as rental props for film, television, and event productions, a role that requires period-accurate, presentation-ready pieces on a schedule productions can rely on, and it has clearly built the sourcing and inventory depth to support that business alongside walk-in retail.
Consignment is part of how the shop keeps its inventory turning over and genuinely varied rather than static. Vancouverites with a mid-century piece to sell, whether inherited furniture, something picked up decades ago, or a design find that no longer fits their space, can consign through the shop rather than navigating a private sale on their own, which also means the pieces on the floor are constantly changing for repeat visitors and dedicated collectors watching for something specific.
The shop sits at 944 Commercial Drive, right in the stretch of The Drive known for its independent retail and long-running neighborhood businesses, and keeps hours that reward a planned visit rather than a spontaneous one: open Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday from 11 in the morning to 6 in the evening, Sunday from noon to 5, and closed Mondays and Wednesdays. Reaching the shop directly by phone or email ahead of a visit is worthwhile for anyone hunting a specific piece or inquiring about the rental side of the business, and its ongoing presence on Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms gives a running look at what has recently come through the door.
Between its four decades on Commercial Drive, its multiple Best in Vancouver honors, and a client base that spans designers, film productions, and everyday collectors, Attic Treasures has built something increasingly rare among vintage retailers: a business old enough to have outlasted several design trend cycles while still being the first call for anyone in Vancouver who wants an authentic mid-century modern piece rather than a modern imitation of one.
