Main Street is garnering all the attention these days for being Vancouver's premier fair-trade shopping strip. Yaletown is booming with high-end, celebrity-driven boutiques. So where should independent clothiers be setting up shop? Gastown, of course. Which is exactly what they're doing. That's right, those historic cobblestone streets aren't just for peddling maple syrup and I ? Canada Ts anymore. When it comes to fashion, the little 'hood that could is hot…again.

Of course, long before these new shops started popping up, places like the Block (350 West Cordova Street), Dream Apparel and Articles for People (311 West Cordova Street), and Deluxe Junk (310 West Cordova Street) were doing a bang-up job. And they're still worthy stops as you make your way through several heritage sites and landmarks, browsing for the latest in local labels, wearable art, vintage treasures, and sick streetwear.

Among the fashionista faves is the One of a Few boutique (354 Water Street), which has been in business for almost 18 months and has an impressive selection of jewellery, flats, and original designs. There are also a lot of little hole-in-the-wall places that you have to keep an eye out for, like Mooncruise Gallery (235 Cambie Street), which carries German clothing labels and avant-garde fashion photography. Another one that's easy to walk right past without taking notice is Tenforward (20 Water Street), your number one stop for Funk Eyewear.

But the most tucked away of them all is Libertine (330 Cordova Street), a secret haunt for stylists in the know. Even though it's the size of a shoebox, you could spend all day combing through its unique mix of handpicked manufactured pieces from all over the world and B.C.–made consignment wear. From Israel, there's Ruby Star's line of recycled chains, which are layered together with one vintage-inspired clasp ($95 to $130). And from Thailand, it offers Pop Club's tiered, lace-and-silk flapper-inspired dresses ($130 to $275).

On the local front, you can pick up one of Ric Yuenn's smock dresses made from different materials including his sister's childhood curtains ($95 to $140). None of Libertine's merch is secondhand, although there are almost no repeats—which gives the appearance of a vintage setup.

"People don't know what to think when they come in; they often walk in looking puzzled like, 'What are you guys?'?" says Avril Tait, who, along with her partner, Jessica Lock, opened Libertine about eight months ago. One of the reasons they picked Gastown is that, as she puts it, Yaletown isn't her "bag". The other reason was purely economical: she figures it's the only waterfront area that hasn't been completely gentrified.

yaletown isn’t libertine co-owner avril tait’s “bag”. hence the opening of the cordova street cool store that carries hand-picked goodies from around the planet for hipster shoppers in the know.

"The bottom line is the rent's cheap, so you can afford to do a little something special without gouging the customer," Tait says. "I think because it's reasonably inexpensive you're getting more of an artistic community down here—a little bit more of a scene. It's definitely not mall shopping."

As far as streetwear goes, there's plenty to pick from as well—Livestock (239 Abbott Street) and Complex (231 Abbott Street), to name a couple. The new kid on the block is Goodfoot (36 Powell Street), an independently owned chain with locations in Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. Unlike at Libertine, rent wasn't as big a factor for this spacious storefront. Leading the way in bringing sneaker culture to Canada, Goodfoot could just as easily have leased a space on Robson Street and cashed in on all the students with disposable incomes.

"It would probably do fine there, but that's not our thing," says Goodfoot general manager Fraser Avey. "When we put our first store in Toronto, we didn't pick Queen Street. That wasn't the look that we were going for there. This kind of genre store is more of a destination spot. People who know, know."

The people he's referring to are connoisseurs of classic and special-edition kicks. For those looking to celebrate the original six-pack of NBA players who got Air Force One running-shoe deals with Nike, Goodfoot offers the 25th-anniversary series. The highlight here is the purple-and-gold high-tops ($240). And for the P. Diddy in your life, there's the handmade white Anaconda low-tops—that's where Nike meets serpent for a mere $3,000 a pair. And for designer-conscious skaters, there are Marc Jacobs's slip-on tartan Vans ($80).

According to Avey, it's not only the fresh product available that makes Gassy Jack's old stomping ground the best place to spend money you may or may not have; it's the vibe.

"Anyone who comes into Gastown and walks through is going to feel this is an area with some character, some history with a story," he says. "And I think that makes for a great experience for everyone—whether you're just going to eat or going to shop. There's just a little bit more flavour than just grey concrete. That can get kind of boring."

For some shoppers, however, there is a little bit too much flavour.

"People still have a lot of misgivings," says Tait. "My own sister-in-law is like, 'It's pretty weird around there.' People still find it scary, especially people that are maybe not in the loop or a little bit older. They remember a different Gastown. The younger people know that Gastown's changed."

But are there enough enlightened shoppers to go around for more stores? Tait thinks so.

"Right now, the way we feel is the more, the merrier," she says. "It will only draw more people down."

Avey agrees. "Everyone can eat at the end of the day," he says, meaning the storeowners. "We're all good."