On a hungover summer day earlier this year, I found myself in Hastings Sunrise.
Seeking sustenance and a caesar in Vancouver’s most rapidly rising neighbourhood, I stumbled across Horses Records, a small blink-and-you’ll-miss it record shop just off Nanaimo.
Having only heard of this mythical place through word of mouth and of course, the internet, I went in, upon which I was warmly greeted by Dan Geddes – a familiar face from his work with local art rock band Peace.
Geddes co-owns Horses Records with Katayoon Yousefbigloo, who plays bass in Other Jesus and is an active member of the Red Gate Art Society.
The room was full of new and used records, each one striking a chord in my dehydrated heart. I picked up the soundtrack to Lost Boys on vinyl and vowed to return immediately. I mean… Lost Boys soundtrack on vinyl? Sold!
Since opening in July, Horses has already made its mark in an art and music scene that feels ever thriving, but often neglected.
So how and where did Horses come from?
“What precipitated the beginning of Horses was the common dream of opening a record store,” says Geddes, “but also not being satisfied in our jobs otherwise, but still wanting to make money being around something that we loved. And trying to combine them all into one thing.”
And yes, the name is a Patti Smith reference.
Not only is Horses a perfectly curated record store (partly a reflection of the owners’ taste), it is additionally a book store (specializing in poetry, and biographies of musicians and poets alike), art gallery, and part time venue (where they host an average of two shows a month).
“The ambition there was always to have intimate memorable shows rather than just having shows all the time,” Geddes explained.
But just as important as the musical and literary vein of Horses is the art. Yousefbigloo describes their vision for the gallery:
“There’s one artist every month. They do the art show, the window display, and we make a mix cassette tape for them. It’s more of an all-encompassing art show.”
You can buy these delightful cassettes in their cassette-tape-vending-machine, one they hope to fill with trinkets of art from past featured artists as well.
In addition to music and art, Horses hope to eventually expand into the world of written word, with literary events and book readings.
Geddes elaborates: “I would like more literary events. I studied literature and I’m a writer to a certain extent, but I’ve never had really strong ties with the local literary community, and I would like to.”
I never found my caesar that day, but instead a new neighbourhood treasure to sooth even the most haggard of souls. Horses proves itself a welcome newcomer to not only Hastings Sunrise, but the entire city, providing a space where (as their tumblr suggests) you can buy, sell, and loiter.
Visit their tumblr for upcoming events, including October’s artist of the month Jarrett Samson of Tough Age.
