From a distance, Rath Art Supplies’ narrow storefront is camouflaged among the many others lining Main Street in the Kingsway-Broadway triangle central to Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. Despite its modest exterior, this small and mighty art supply store is one of the block’s most popular destinations. “We carry products nobody else carries,” explains owner Stan Rath, Vancouver’s only independent art supplies retailer since 2005. “And we offer a custom experience,” he continues. “Artists explain their projects to us and we can then find exactly what they need.”
Painters, print-makers and illustrators alike locate their favourite supplies at Rath: floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with wares such as raw canvas, high-end oil paints, charcoals and inks extend to the shop’s rear, while hand-drawn labels add charm to the whimsical yet orderly interior. Rath’s unique variety of hard-to-find brands attracts even those artists who are “very particular about their materials” says Stan. What’s more, such diverse, colourful products combined with scents of wooden easels create a rich, sensory shopping experience. “Above all art is fun,” Stan says. “We want people to have fun while they shop, too.”
