This is another in what is becoming a series of then & now images. Strathcona is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Vancouver and the iconic Vernon Drive Groc(ery) has been serving it for over 100 years. It is the kind of neighbourhood corner store that used to be everywhere but have now all but disappeared to be replaced by soulless convenience stores. In fact, this store closed a couple of years ago and because the building doesn’t have heritage status many feared it would be torn down. At the eleventh hour a pair of entrepreneurs bought it and it will soon be reopened as Rise Up Marketplace offering a few staples along with coffee, donuts, sandwiches and locally made crafts. The black and white portion of my composite was taken sometime in the 70’s (I couldn’t find anything older) and it looks pretty much the same now. The fresh paint job is the same colour it has always been and even the surrounding buildings haven’t changed. So maybe not the best choice for a “then & now”, but it is nostalgic for me because it reminds me of the corner stores I used to visit as a kid to buy pop, candy and hockey cards.
October 2023 - Beginning year 4. This wonderful community keeps me inspired and motivated to keep creating every day.
October 2022 - Beginning year 3. Originally...
Great that you are able to find the old images and do this. I have seen just about all of my childhood go to places disappear and in many cases the areas change so much that it would be hard even to be sure where they used to exist.
@ankers70 thanks for your interest Suzanne. I first identify an appropriate building, usually a heritage building then look for an archive photo. I then take a shot of the building trying to replicate the angle of the archive photo. In photoshop I put each image on its own layer taking care to line up the building in each layer. Then, with selective masking, I reveal a portion of the archive photo blended into my image.
@cdcook48