Market Square

Eclectic selection of stores and restaurants, including Victoria’s only Indonesian restaurant. The whole vibe of this place reminds me a lot of Seattle’s Pike Market or Vancouver’s Commercial Drive or Granville Island.
I visited when it was a holiday so most of the stores were either closed early or not open at all. There were some people gathering in the centre of the courtyard playing hand drums, spinning poi, and hoop dancing at the time. My only complaint is that after most of the stores are closed for the day, the washrooms close too.
Market Square is definitely my type of place to hang out, shop around, and whatnot considering how Granville Island and The Drive are like my second homes. I would really have loved to return when all of the shops are open, but I just didn’t have enough time during my trip to Victoria.

Market Square offers is a nice little shopping area that is nestled within a multi-​level heritage brick and beam buildings, and surrounding an open courtyard. More than a century ago, Victoria’s businesses were transacted in this area of winding alleys and walkways. Warehouses, shipping offices and such have now been restored into shops, restaurants, and galleries. There’s also an assortment of eclectic arts and a calendar of cultural events that occur throughout the year.
It was a little quiet when Gayle and I stopped by on the front end of the long Victoria Day Weekend. We poked around a little, window shopped (both inside and outside the Square buildings), and imagined how this place might fill up in warmer summer weather. This place has hang out potential written all over it.

Just the place you want to go if u just want to get away and relax soak up the atmosphere I am fir Calgary and u wish there was a place like this ti go

Back in the day, when we were refugee teenagers making the day long trek from the «Western Communities,» this was where we’d meet up with all our city friends. It seemed like this square had everything we needed to make us forget all about the perils of being 14. We had metaphysical stores, import clothing, the Buddhist centre, Green Cuisine and a venue for live and often free music. Filled with new age healing we’d pile back onto the 61 Sooke bus and brace ourselves for our return to our red neck towns.
That was the early 90s but every time I come here I’m still filled with the nostalgia of that era. These days I’m more drawn to the new clothing stores or the huge Dig This for gift buying. Sometimes when I’ve got some time to kill I just sit down in a peaceful spot with a frothy latte and watch the birds float around the rafters. I can almost see my teenage self walk through. Don’t worry, I’d like to say. Life gets a whole lot better.