Located in the Upstairs Bazaar at The Vault Café, Wyrd Wealth is Nanaimo’s go-to for the curious, the unconventional, and the “wait… what is that?” crowd.
Part oddities showroom, part treasure trove, its shelves cover a lot of ground. We’re talking books, vintage clothing, records, cassettes and CDs, crystals, tinctures, honey, pickled goods, bulk ingredients, and quite possibly Nanaimo’s most impressive lineup of hot sauces. (Mild to “question your life choices.”)
It’s the kind of place you pop into for a quick look… and emerge 20 minutes later holding something you absolutely didn’t plan on buying, but now can’t live without.
As part of our Nanaimo Business Feature Series, we’re chatting with local businesses to hear their stories, what keeps them here, and how you can support them.
What inspired you to start your business in Nanaimo?
Well, it's simple really. We live here. This is our community. I feel with the niche zone of many of our products, we would be kidding ourselves to think that we could understand another community on that level as outsiders. On top of that, it has been very important for us to also create an open community space within our shop to be used and exploited by the faces we know on the streets that we walk day to day. This has been achieved mainly with our section of artist prints and our book section as well.
Are there any positive specific customer stories or interactions that stand out to you that have taken place over the years?
Too many to think of... hmmm… Well, an early one that to me really defined the concept of "Wyrd Wealth" was having a gal and her daughter come in. The mother became immediately emotional when she spotted what was to me a walking cane of sorts. She gasped and then proceeded to tell us the story of this object and show us what it really was. What it was, was a pool cue, but not only that, it contained within it a hidden knife as well. This particular cane she knew because it once was her mother's. Her mother, in her youth, was a sex worker on the mainland. The cane had been given to her as a protective accessory for her day-to-day get-up. She then proceeded to prove this fact by telling us her mother's name then showing us the hidden location of said name burned into the handle of the pool cue. WOW!!! It goes without saying that we immediately offered the "cane" to this gal free of charge. That is a profound tale but honestly, just the numerous amounts of people that come through our door and let out a loud “Wow!” then tell us that the space seems like some portal into their personal imagination or elders reminiscing how the vibe reminds them of days gone by. These interactions are priceless to us, really.
