Stories
Inside
Stories are the fabric of all communities, everywhere. They shape what we know, what we believe in, who we are, how we live. Upstart & Crow exists to share bold stories and to support the literary arts in Vancouver and beyond.
A Literary
Arts Studio
Located on Granville Island, one of Vancouver’s cultural hubs, we are a vibrant intersection for curious readers and creative storytellers alike. We are international in our outlook, and local in our sensibilities. We create opportunities to surface new talent and champion bold ideas through events, workshops, literary launches, unique partnerships — and yes, we also sell books! And gifts, and art. We also have a second shop above the incredible Persephone Brewing Beer Farm in Gibsons, B.C.
Curation
Our team — composed of writers, journalists, publicists and poets — curates our bookshelves and conversations with utmost care, aiming to privilege under-represented or lesser-known writers; quiet geniuses that you can’t always find in commercial stores; and ideas that shape who we are and how we live.
Culture
Vancouver is an international city, and we aim to make it feel even more so by partnering with international story creators and their publishers, and creating a destination and a venue for some of the leading thinkers and writers of our time. Check out our events page or get in touch for more.
Community
We are privileged to work in the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Community is an essential part of our work and purpose. We aim to be a warm and welcoming gathering place for writers and readers to commune and converse.
We partner with Thistalalh Library in Bella Bella, helping them build their community library by donating books on a regular basis. Our selections, events and creative endeavours aim to create a positive impact for our neighbours in Vancouver and beyond. We strive to be more than a bookstore, to be a welcoming and immersive space. A literary living room for the city we know and love.