Cigar Store Indian Now A White Man By Shannon Getty
Darryl’s Coffee and Native Art Shop sits located between the hustle and bustle of Davie St. and the downtown workers freeway that is Burrard. It is one of the few Native owned businesses in the Downtown west end. When you walk through the door, the noise of the streets seems to slide off of you and disappear as you’re greeted by a warm homey room, full of eclectic Native Art and the comforting smell of freshly brewed coffee. The combination of the two, upon entry, seem an almost obvious combination, yet Darryl is one of the few to have implemented the idea.
As I’m interviewing Darryl during early afternoon, customers come through the door and are greeted with a big smile, as he calls most of them by name and offers them his daily selection of their usual snack of coffee. I notice that he makes every one of the chuckle at least once during their visit and sends them off in a seemingly more relaxed state then when they arrived. It is this wit and ease with humor that Darryl is growing famous for and it is echoed in clever displays throughout the store. For example, before even entering the shop, you’ll have to walk past a “White Cigar Man” standing guard by the door. The cigar man is a play off of a common image used in
North America
of the “Indian Cigar man”, a native man advertising cigars in what isn’t meant to be a flattery or compliment to the culture. So Darryl came up with his own rebuttal of a White cigar man with a caption over his head that says “In the USA they have a cigar store Indian, his name is Elijah. Well in
Canada
, this is the first cigar store white-man. His name is General Custer. It’s pay back time.” On the window near the entrance another sign reads “No ‘reservations’ needed or required”. He also sells a product called “Indian Viagra” – described as Moose droppings in heat – the actually ingredients being chocolate covered almonds. Of course being located on Davie St. Darryl explains “I have to keep in the spirit of the area”, so his Menu boards are riddled with clever word plays like “Buns of steel bakery”, and ice cream flavors called “Davie Queen specials”.
Even Robin Williams thinks Darryl is funny – a recent customer to his store Robin Williams is a self professed Native Art lover and spent a lot of time looking at the art displays while munching on a tuna sandwich. Before leaving Mr. Williams paid Darryl his greatest compliment telling him that he thought Darryl was “very funny”.
It hasn’t all been a laugh though Darryl explains, “It’s been a tough battle. A lot of people didn’t think I would make it a year, and I’m about to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of my store”. Darryl explains that when starting his business he decided to acquire the help of some government financial aid programs for Aboriginal entrepreneurs, and found that it wasn’t as easy as he thought it would or should be. “It was a lot of paper work and a lot of walking in circles”, but eventually he was able to access some financial support while believing that this path (financial) is not the only option or way of doing thing, he says “I hope that Native people as a whole, copy me in what I am doing.” In taking control and owning his own business, Darryl is bale to ensure that the Native Art that he sells is authentic and at a fair price for the artists as-well as the consumers. While he is excited for the Olympics, he warns “I just hope the Native communities don’t get taken advantage of”, and hopefully they will take control of their own product and profit from what is rightfully theirs.
Darryl is also very supportive of other local Native businesses, he once made up a brochure called “the moccasin trail”, which depicted an enjoyable route taking locals or visitors from one Native owned shop to another. On of those shops being “Liliget Feast House” owned by Dolly watts a well known and successful Native business owner, who has won an array of awards including Aboriginal Achievement Award and ‘Excellence in Customer Service Award’ from the Aboriginal Tourism of BC association. Darryl considers Dolly “a great mentor”, and also hopes himself to one day be recognized as an Aboriginal Achievement award winner.
Listening to Darryl describe the importance he feels that his shop “act as a beacon for the lost angels of the city”, explaining that he has no problem giving clothing and any spare food he may have to local homeless and down on their luck youth, makes his dream of being recognized by that committee not seem that far off. “If they come into the shop and ask me for a glass of water, I know that’s the code for ‘I’m hungry’, so I offer them a sandwich, as to not embarrass them in front of other customers.”
“I’ve spent most of my life being an outside looking in and I know how it feels to be a minority”, Darryl explains as his eyes watch the passerby’s walking past on the sidewalk, “this is why I have no problem treating these people like old friends, like human beings”.
For the future Darryl hopes to first of all, stay afloat in his current location, then open up a similar shop in Mt. Curry, BC where he and his partner plan to retire. He also declares being a winner at the Aboriginal Achievement Awards as a serious future goal, “I want to stand proud in front of my people and tell the story of how it feels to be an outsider looking in, and overcoming adversity to achieve my goals.”
“I would stand there in front of them and be as proud as a peacock!” he laughs then smiles, “A rainbow peacock!”
Source: First Nations DRUM, July 2006
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