TEhe Cambie is, as they like to say on the CBC, a part of our heritage. Named in honour of the guy who figured out how to get trains from Vancouver to the other side of the Rockies, it’s been proudly pouring pints for thirsty citizens since 1887, just one year after Vancouver was incorporated as a city as a result of his labours. In other words, the place has a history and a solid track record of keeping its doors open through thick and thin.

Even when BC went through its unfortunate Prohibition phase back in the early 20th century, management stepped up for people, smuggling in hooch from boats anchored in False Creek through secret underground tunnels leading to the storeroom. The Cambie can be counted on.

Although nothing approaching fancy, there is no other place in town anything like it. Located at the foot of the tower with the big neon W in the heart of Gastown, it is the watering hole of choice for Vancouverites of all socioeconomic stripes. Where else are you going to find wealthy businessmen and wide-eyed backpackers, gym rats and squeegee kids, hotties and the homeless all hanging out together?

The cheap booze, of course, is a big draw. So is the proximity to Vansterdam’s cannabis cafes and because it’s a convenient jump-off point for further revelry at nearby clubs with later closing times - it’s good to tank up an a few, say, three dollar pints of local microbrew before heading somewhere trendier to pay twice that. (Certainly people don’t come for the food or, if they do, it is only because they’re poor.)

The place also pulls double duty as a hostel, with clean, reasonably priced beds offered upstairs and offshoots have popped up not only on nearby Seymour street but also in Nanaimo and Victoria. In fact, “Cambie” is now practically a brand name - they even sell a wide selection of customized clothing ranging from spoofs of the Hotwheels logo to Campbell’s chicken soup. (I confess to owning a t-shirt based on the Canucks’ old Halloween orange & black jerseys.)