The Best Little Movie House in Vancouver

Photo Credit: Jimmy Pattison is today Western Canada’s most well know billionaire but in 1955 he was the manager of Bowmac on Broadway near Granville Street.

NOSTALGIC VANCOUVER “You need a car to be a realtor,” Dean said to me, so on December 14, 1955 we bought a used car from Bowmac on Broadway near Granville, with its big, multi-colored neon sign out front. “I don’t even know how to drive;” said Dean. I had gotten my license at the age of fifteen. When my father got his license at the McKenzie Driving School, I went along to translate and learned to drive in the process. Jimmy Pattison, today western Canada’s most famous billionaire, was the sales manager at Bowmac.”
“Later, our yellow Pontiac was checked thoroughly by Al Fyfe in Bowmac’s garage. The smell of gasoline and oil was everywhere. Al and Marilyn Weston (his partner) became our good friends. Later, when we bought our first house together at 457 West 63rd Avenue, Al and Marilyn gave us a lovely plate glass mirror as a house warming gift. I still have it today.
“You’re going to drive it to New York?” Pattison exclaimed, shocked.
“Yes, we’re going to the Imperial Life Insurance Convention next summer. We can’t afford to go any other way with both of us going.” Dean and I were always adamant about doing things together.
“You’re driving?” Pattison asked, again shocked. He was surprised because I looked too young.
“I’m going to teach Dean to drive on the beautiful tree-lined Chancellor Boulevard at the UBC campus. There’s little traffic there. He gets car sick from time to time. Our nine-month-old son Dana will ride in the right front passenger seat next to me.” Pattison took us to the service department and spoke to a mechanic,
“Climatize and prepare this car for a seventy-five hundred mile trip through the United States.” We were going the northern route to New York (Seattle, Spokane, Des Moines) and returning by the southern route (Boston, St. Louis, Witchita). “I’ll get you into the British Columbia Automobile Association as well,” which added to our confidence that we were ready to tackle the world! –excerpt from It Ain’t Over Until Faye Leung the Hat Lady Sings.