Angel is still open for business, but with shortened operating hours using social distancing rules – from noon to 5 p.m. each day, including Sunday, during April & May.

I’m working inside, catching up on hand-painting shirts for customers. We offer private shopping  by appointment – call 604-681-0947.

At the beginning of March, Angel received its latest shipment of the Desigual Spring-Summer 2020 collection. We have some fabulous pieces for summer, including swimsuits for men and women. And some great kids clothes.

The Desigual SS2020 collection for men, women & kids now is on sale 30% off.

All Desigual from previous seasons is on sale 40% to 50% off at Angel.

We will also match any online price of Desigual.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit Vancouver in March, all bars and restaurants were ordered closed, thousands of people were laid off and people began working from home to try to contain the spread of the virus.

Then someone smashed our Angel store window. The same $1,000 window that someone threw a brick through a month earlier.

We immediately decided to board up  all our big storefront windows – the building was built of timbers and brick in 1886 and has an 18-foot-high ceiling

Breece Austin painting a portrait of federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu.

Before I could even paint the plywood, Kim Briscoe from Kimprints across the street in the Europe Hotel started hiring artists to paint murals on her plywood. Kim asked if one could come over and paint on our store. Sure, I said. The young artist, Breece Austin (Instagram: @breecesartpieces98) painted a portrait of Canada’s Health Minister, Patty Hajdu. The next day, I painted around it and painted the rest of the plywood a midnight blue to match the exterior walls.

I spent all last week painting some murals of my own to try to brighten up the Gastown neighbourhood and try to lift spirits. A flaming heart. Two overlapping hearts that blend colours in the middle. An Angel Heart with wings, known in Mexico as a Sacred Heart.

The finished collaboration mural. Be Kind. Stay Positive. We will get through this together. angelvancouver photo.

After  I finished painting, I felt Breece’s mural needed something on the right side. So I added a short dialogue-bubble message: BE KIND.

And while painting outside, I asked Gastown neighbours passing by if they would pose in front of one of my painted hearts. This started my Gastown Neighbours photo series (see below), which I’ll add to as I take more photos.

So while Angel is temporarily boarded up, we’re still open from business. Call 604-681-047 or email me at jackiehaliburton@hotmail.com

Angel offers curb-side pickup, next-day local delivery and free shipping in North America.  We also ship worldwide at cost.

Here are some photos of our Angel store murals:

Jackie painting the Powell Street side of Angel.

Painting the mural on the Carrall Street side of Angel.

Painting the wings of the Angel heart on the Carrall Street side of Angel.

The Flaming Heart. In Mexico it’s called the Sacred Heart.

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Angel is Vancouver’s first Desigual Wow Shop boutique with the latest styles of the Barcelona brand for men, women & kids.

The Desigual Spring-Summer 2020 collection is on sale 30% off. Desigual from previous seasons for men & women is 40% to 50% off. All Desigual for kids is 30% off. Follow Angel of Gastown on Instagram and get an extra 5% off.

Angel is located at No. 2 Powell Street in the Gastown district of Vancouver, Canada. We’re  on the corner of Powell & Carrall Street in Maple Tree Square, where Vancouver began. The historic photo (left) shows what the location of my store looked like in 1886 (click on photo to enlarge).

Angel also specializes in custom handpainted clothing.

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When I’m feeling a bit down I play this: Two members of Coldplay & the nine-member Love choir. I like the first three songs, & their version of Prince‘s 1999:

I play this every morning to lift my spirits – a song from 50 years ago that still resonates:

People around the world, join hands, jump on board the Love Train. This is a fundraiser for the Turnaround Arts programs in struggling schools:

And here is a tribute to the late Bill Withers (and Canadian food banks and @redcrosscanada) by some of Canada’s best-known musicians, which aired Sunday April 26, 2020, as part of a national TV broadcast, Stronger Together: