PROFILES OF CREATORS WHO MAKE PORT MOODY THE CITY OF THE ARTS
TAMIA OVERES
Rewind the Good Times at Rewind Beer Co. Story page 32.
PHOTO ANDY WHITE
Consider the transformative power of something as simple as observing a work of art, or a communal dining experience.
There’s no requirement to share a common language or background. Or even the need to talk much at all.
And yet, those same experiences can spread joy and a sense of community – that you are part of something bigger – as a result of simply being together.
It’s here that the transformative power of art finds its home in Port Moody.
For more than two decades, the city has aligned its collective efforts under the banner of “City of the Arts”.
It’s one thing to adopt a moniker, but it’s another thing entirely to show the community that you mean what you say.
Port Moody continues to do that through a myriad of creative and intuitive measures: the city-owned Esplanade Artist Studio; grants, inkind and financial support for festivals of all stripes and so much more.
Year-round events and activities such as the Fingerling Festival, Golden Spike Days, RibFest, Art Out Side, Taste of the Tri Cities, Summer Sundays concert series, and a host of other offerings that host visitors and foster community connection.
Having already laid that foundation over preceding decades, the city recently doubled down on its efforts to continue its pledge to creatives of all types.
In early 2023, the Mayor’s Arts and Business Coalition Task Force was assembled with a mandate to identify opportunities to strengthen the city’s branding as “City of the Arts” and to make recommendations to council on the same.
What’s followed since has been a wellspring of activity to bring creators and decision makers alike to amplify not only what constitutes a City of the Arts, but to recognize those who live, work and play in the city.
“As the City of the Arts we continue to seek out unique and creative opportunities that enhance community well-being and a prosperous local economy,” says Port Moody Mayor Meghan Lahti. “We’re excited to support a year of pilot projects that contribute to our long-term vision for a vibrant, connected, and livable community”.
All of this leads us to the present day – a celebration of everything that makes Port Moody awesome. What follows in these pages exemplifies the very things that make us the best we can be: a melting pot of different cultures, ages and life experiences aligned under the banner of celebrating art, culture and community.
WHAT’S HAPPENING WHAT’S HAPPENING
GOLDEN SPIKE DAYS
WEDNESDAYS 3:00-7:00 P.M.
PORT MOODY
FARMERS MARKET
Port Moody Rec Centre
300 Ioco Rd makebakegrow.com
JUNE 26 | 5:00-7:00 P.M.
YOUTH PRIDE
PoMoArts - 2425 St Johns Street
Join us for a celebration of Pride in Port Moody! We’re celebrating our queer youth, as well as their families, friends and allies. In collaboration with the TriCities Pride, we’re bringing you a queer youth art exhibit, collaborative art onsite, music, food, and so much more. tricitiespride.ca
JUNE 27 & 28
SATURDAY 11:00 A.M. TO 10:00 P.M.
SUNDAY 11:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M.
GOLDEN SPIKE DAYS
Rocky Point Park
Delicious food, awesome entertainment, activities for the whole family, and more! goldenspike.ca
JULY 1
CANADA DAY
Rocky Point Park
Spend Canada’s birthday in beautiful Rocky Point Park! Join us for great live music, a special ceremony, and lots of family fun at this free event. portmoody.ca
JULY 5 | 2:00 P.M.
THE BIG EASY FUNK ENSEMBLE
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair! Big Easy Funk Ensemble is a band that pays homage to the rich musical traditions of New Orleans while infusing their own distinct West Coast flavour. summersundays.ca
ODYSSEY
WHAT’S HAPPENING
JULY 11 | 7:00 P.M.
ALIVE N KISSINKISS AND MOTLEY CRUE TRIBUTE
Inlet Theatre - 100 Newport Drive portmoody.ca
JULY 12 | 2:00 P.M.
EAGLE EYES
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair!
Eagle Eyes has taken great care and dedication recreating the harmonies and capturing the magic of the Eagles’ studio recordings. Hailing from Southern Vancouver Island, BC, the four members of Eagle Eyes have over 120 years of combined experience as professional touring musicians. summersundays.ca
JULY 16 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.
SUMMER EXHIBITIONS
OPENING RECEPTION
PoMoArts - 2425 St Johns Street
Come experience compelling solo and group exhibitions across all disciplines, including painting, sculpture, textiles, photography, digital and performance art, installation, ceramics, and more at PoMoArts! pomoarts.ca
JULY 17, 18, 19 |
11:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
PORT MOODY ROTARY RIBFEST
Rocky Point Park
A community event featuring three days of delicious BBQ, craft breweries, family entertainment and free live music. portmoodyribfest.ca
JULY 18 | 5:30-7:45 P.M.
MOVIE NIGHT ON THE TRAIN
2734 Murray St
Hop on board the 1921 first class passenger train car and catch a silver screen classic. pomo.museum
JULY 25
MARVELLOUS MUSHROOMS EXHIBITION OPENING MIXER
2734 Murray St pomo.museum
JULY 30 | 7:00-9:00 P.M.
ARTISTRY UNCORKED: WINE AND ART EXPERIENCE
PoMoArts - 2425 St Johns Street
Embark on a sensory journey with curated wines and cheese pairing led by Sommelier Sean Nelson, a globe-trotting wine expert and storytelling aficionado! Sip and savour as Sean uunveils the stories behind each wine, expertly chosen to complement PoMoArts exhibitions. pomoarts.ca
AUGUST 2 | 2:00 P.M.
ODYSSEY
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair! The '70s was a transformative and dynamic decade for rock music. Canadian West Coast rock and roll band, ODYSSEY featuring some of the best singers and musicians in Vancouver, British Columbia plays the most popular rock songs of the 1970s, transporting you back to this magical decade. summersundays.ca
ArtsConnect
WHAT’S HAPPENING
AUGUST 7-16
Art Out Side Festival 2026
Annual multidisciplinary arts festival transforming Port Moody with immersive art forms: from parks and streets to commercial sites, waterfronts, and other everyday or overlooked spaces, creating unforgettable experiences and leaving creative marks that will inspire for years to come. pomoarts.ca/artoutside
AUGUST 9 | 2:00 P.M.
WOODEN HORSEMEN
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair! Wooden Horsemen channel the raw energy of live performance into gritty, groove-heavy blues-rock that hits hard and leaves a lasting impression. summersundays.ca
AUGUST 16 | 12:00-5:00 P.M.
ARTSEE: POMOARTS OPEN HOUSE
PoMoArts - 2425 St Johns Street
Whether you’re an art lover, just curious, or looking for a fun family outing, PoMoArts annual community open house is a great opportunity to sample art programs, try something new, or simply enjoy creativity. pomoarts.ca
AUGUST 16 | 2:00 P.M.
KARMA SOUNDS
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair! This singer-songwriter extraordinaire possesses a musical prowess like no other.
summersundays.ca
AUGUST 16 | 12:00-5:00 P.M.
CAR FREE DAY
St. Johns Street
Port Moody’s Car-Free Day takes over St. Johns Street.
It's a huge street celebration, filled with local businesses, musicians, green transportation displays, delicious food, and family-friendly activities. portmoody.ca
INLET MUSIC SERIES
2026-2027 SEASON
Monthly live concerts featuring acclaimed artists across jazz, folk, roots, and more. Season passes now on sale. inletmusicsociety.com
AUGUST 16 | 3:30 P.M.
COCO JAFRO
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair!
A revelation for a revolution, this innovative Afro Funk - Latin Soul ensemble unlocks a powerful desire to live with freedom and move with abandon. summersundays.ca
AUGUST 23 | 2:00 P.M.
BARRACUDA
THE ESSENTIAL TRIBUTE TO HEART
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair! Barracuda hail from Vancouver, the original city where Ann & Nancy Wilson formed the amazing legacy of the band Heart. Led by four octave powerhouse vocalist D.L. Car, who is an Ann Wilson purist vocally, Barracuda captures the sound of Heart down to the finest detail both vocally and instrumentally, and have to be seen to be believed! summersundays.ca
AUGUST 30 | 2:00 P.M.
SOULSTREAM
Summer Sundays at Rocky Point Park
Every Sunday - bring your own chair! Made up of some of Vancouver’s finest musicians, recipients of countless national and international awards, the Soulstream repertoire includes anything that grooves: Herbie Hancock, Earth, Wind & Fire, Prince, Tower of Power, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Incognito, Stevie Wonder, Barry White …. They have been regarded as the best band of this genre in B.C. (and some say all of Canada) summersundays.ca
SUMMER MUSIC SERIES
ST. JAMES'S WELL
248 NEWPORT DR
Sundays are a summer hang at St. James's Well - live local music and cold pints - the kind of afternoon that turn into evening before you know it. Catch a rotating line up of musical talent, grab a drink featuring local breweries. Patio is open - no tickets, no rush. stjameswell.ca
COCO JAFRO
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Ad va nced h ea ring ai d so lu ti on s
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Di sc reet, comfor ta bl e de si gns
Re ch arge ab le a nd b lu etoo th o pt io ns
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ANDY WHITE PHOTO
Creators of
Port Moody has long been known as the City of the Arts – but beyond the galleries, murals, and waterfront studios lies something even more powerful: the people who bring its creative spirit to life.
This community is shaped by makers, visionaries, and innovators whose passion leaves a lasting mark on the city’s culture. From painters and sculptors to performers, entrepreneurs, athletes, and independent business owners, creativity in Port Moody takes many forms – and it can be found around every corner.
What connects these individuals is more than talent. It’s dedication to their craft, a willingness to push boundaries, and a commitment to building something meaningful within the community they call home. Their work inspires conversation, sparks connection, and adds colour, character, and momentum to the city itself.
The creators featured on the following pages were selected for their diversity, originality, and contribution to Port Moody’s artistic and cultural identity. Each brings a unique perspective. Each has a story worth telling.
Together, they reflect the bold, imaginative energy that makes Port Moody unlike anywhere else.
These are their stories. ❱❱
Creators of
Tamia Pulse Vancity
Imagine cultivating an artistic vision through childhood and seeing it manifest into a full-time job by the age of 19.
This isn’t the stuff of Hollywood lore, where executives manufacture gaudy, artificial talent pipelines that lack authenticity or pop.
Instead, Tamia Overes’s story is one of persistence, pivoting and pushing through on days when perhaps the heart or mind say no.
“One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Your
discipline will carry you when your motivation won’t,'’’ Overes says. “You have to be disciplined enough to be able to show up because no one’s going to do the work for you at the end of the day. A negative mindset will never get you a positive outcome.”
That rise-and-grind mentality has helped Overes become a one-woman artistic factory before the age of 30: she’s a tattoo artist and founder of Port Moody’s Pulse Vancity, a painter, muralist and digital designer. ❱❱
creator
NAME Tamia Overes
BUSINESS Pulse Vancity
ADDRESS 2604 St Johns Street
WEBSITE pulsevancity.com
ANDY WHITE PHOTOS
She also works alongside her father Christopher Overes to blend their traditional Coast Salish and TsleilWaututh (səlilwətaɬ) teachings with contemporary designs that celebrate themes of land, water and kinship. Together they create public artworks that honour the stories of their people and the connection between generations.
Her works dot the Metro Vancouver landscape at locales including the Port of Vancouver, Imperial Oil, Simon Fraser University, Pacific Environmental Science Centre and Rainbow Park.
That Overes has accomplished so much, so fast speaks to an inner resilience that can be difficult to conceptualize. She underwent a total weight loss journey in the last two years that saw her transform her body and soul. Overes and her family also work against the backdrop of sometimes painful realities found in the ongoing reconciliation dialogue among Canada’s First Nations.
And at 28, Overes was also recently diagnosed with cancer.
“Painting takes me into a separate world where I forget about all of my problems for a little bit -- it’s very much a nice reset,” Overes says. “It has always been that release or that outlet since I was a kid and I’m so glad that I still have that.”
Overes recalls that initial childhood connection to art with pinpoint accuracy: endless fingerpainting as a toddler sparked a love for the canvas that was nurtured by both her father and high school art teacher Brian Gleckman.
It was Gleckman that challenged Overes to create a summer-long project, but when the first draft came in, the master wasn’t necessarily thrilled with the student’s efforts.
Overes was mature enough even in her teenage years to use that feedback as motivation to aim higher.
“I remember in that moment of him saying that I had more work to do because it lit a fire in me to prove to him and myself that I could make the painting better than what it was,” Overes recalls. “Within a month that painting was my best work I had ever done at that time. I was so proud of it and it was like a springboard for me.”
Overes’s studies at SFU in fine arts and business further prepped her launchpad for a full-time gig in the arts.
But then Covid-19 happened. Tattoos and other personal services were shuttered.
MY PERFECT DAY IN PORT MOODY:
“My perfect day in Port Moody starts with a sunny morning and a coffee and breakfast sandwich from Kaffi Espresso Bar. I’d head to təmtəmíxʷtən (Belcarra Regional Park) and walk the Admiralty Point Trail in Port Moody, soaking in the ocean views. Inspired, I’d spend the afternoon painting at my studio, Pulse Vancity. In the evening, dinner at Original’s Café Mexicano, dessert from Rocky Point Ice Cream, a stroll along the pier, and drinks with friends at Parkside Brewery.”
Not one to binge watch Netflix or settle for inactivity, Overes took to social media to help spread her creative wings. Makeup tutorials, videos alongside her love bird Princetopher and all other conceivable artistic offerings netted Overes millions of followers across her online worlds.
The huge audiences, brand deals and diversified income streams afforded to Overes during the pandemic were all well and good, but she’s come full circle back
to public art, cultural work and tattooing.
Pulse Vancity employs close to a dozen creatives working alongside Overes, who are able to create a warm, inviting space for those looking for ink in Port Moody.
“We definitely feel at home in the city,” Overes says. “Being able to connect with other business owners, or being able to talk to anyone who works or lives in this city makes for such a welcoming place.” ❚
Creators of
It stands to reason that academic papers could very well be written one day about the sheer mastery of time management that Mike Arboit and Erin Scarlett have achieved.
On any given day, the husbandand-wife team run a co-working and event production facility, tend to professional podcast recording needs, oversee partnerships with two local breweries and get in a figure four or two.
And that’s on top of being the head
cheerleaders on the soccer pitch for their eight-year-old son Asher.
Add it all up, and that’s a lot of 4:30 a.m. wakeup calls.
“You have to grind and you have to hustle, but we have a passion for doing that,” Arboit says. “There are mornings where you don’t get enough sleep or you’re grumpy coming into work. But being a business owner is like being a professional firefighter – if anything goes wrong, which happens all the time, you’re the final fixer.” ❱❱
creator
NAME Mike Arboit
BUSINESS Site B
ADDRESS 3012 Murray Street
WEBSITE siteb.life
RENATA DEL RIO PHOTO
Fixing and hustling truly became the order of the day for the Port Moody couple in 2019.
It was then that the pair sold their family home in Maple Ridge and laid the foundation for what became The Fountainhead Network. That lifechanging career pivot started in Port Coquitlam and ended up in Port Moody in 2024, where the couple’s business interests grew outward like the tentacles of an octopus.
Co-working and event space Site B was established on Murray Street and the couple became partners in a pair of breweries: Brave Brewing Company and Twin Sails Brewing, which are both situated in Port Moody’s iconic Brewers Row district.
Picture The Fountainhead Network the larger umbrella group encompassing the couple’s business pursuits, while Site B is where the action takes place: podcasting, co-working spaces, event production and wrestling events courtesy of Arboit’s promotion company known as Tapped Wrestling Federation.
All manner of professionals call Site B home, from accountants and lawyers to web developers and digital marketers – all of whom need a bricks and mortar location without the hangups and costs of physically owning the space.
And while Site B has all the bells and whistles of a 21st century tech hub, its charm is revealed in how the inhabitants co-exist. Picture a rural setting from centuries ago where the farmer exchanges eggs with the baker for a loaf of bread, or a carpenter building that same farmer’s fence for a few pints of milk.
In today’s terms, the web developer builds an online presence for a Site B accountant who then checks the books in exchange. It’s a type of unique symbiosis that spreads across the myriad of Site B clients to create a melting pot of collaboration and creation.
“Everything is so expensive to run a business, but our space is like an unofficial community centre,” Arboit says. “What we represent is a true community, where you get people of all walks of life, all ideologies and they get along inside this community.”
That sense of community is further instilled by headlocks, turnbuckles and good old-fashioned donnybrooks.
Enter the Tapped Wrestling Federation, a brainchild of Arboit’s that builds upon his multiple decades of performing and organizing amateur wrestling shows. Performing under the moniker “Dance
MY PERFECT DAY IN PORT MOODY:
“A perfect day in Port Moody for us starts early. I’ll get a workout in, Erin takes our dog Eevee for a walk down to Rocky Point Pier, and we spend some time with our son Asher before bringing him to school and heading into TFN and Site B. After that, it’s about being around our amazing community and then getting back to family time, whether that’s playing video games, collecting Pokémon cards, hanging at Noons Creek, or taking Asher to soccer. If it’s a weekend, we’ll go on adventures together and maybe it ends with a TWF wrestling show at Site B.”
Daddy DeNero,” Arboit has recently begun organizing fight cards out of the Site B event space that draw upwards of 350 people from all corners of the Tri-Cities.
“It’s a whole hell of a lot of work running these shows, but that’s my passion and I love it,” Arboit says.
Having accomplished all that Arboit and Scarlett have done before the age of 40 is pretty heady stuff. They’ve relied on family, friends and the larger business ecosystem across the Tri-Cities to make it happen.
But Arboit gives particular credit to the city itself, which he describes as a mental health oasis similar in feel to Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood, but minus the gridlock and constant urban grind.
“I wouldn’t want to do this anywhere other than in Port Moody,” Arboit says.
“The city is a lot like our co-working community - everyone knows one another and the community is incredibly tight knit.”
CHRIS CHONG, BUTTER STUDIOS PHOTO
Creators of
Tasha In the Presence of Ancestors
Artists and performers can be a fickle bunch.
There’s the endless preening in front of a mirror, obsessing over image or even demanding that backstage areas be completely devoid of brown M&Ms.
Port Moody’s Tasha Faye Evans is the counter to those tropes.
Making her living in dance, theatre arts, cultural programming and education, Evans views her method of artistic
expression as an outward service to the viewer, audience or students. Rather than basking in the inward, ego-centric nature sometimes associated with performers, Evans flips the script and uses her muse as a vessel to communicate with the divine.
“That’s where the difference between ego and integrity are important to stay in line,” Evans says. “I’m never thinking about what I get out of my art. It’s about the service of it: what the community needs and what story needs to be told right now.” ❱❱
The stories that Evans is weaving now are deeply linked to her Coast Salish ancestry.
In the Presence of Ancestors is a multiyear project supported by the City of Port Moody, where Evans is working with members of other local First Nations to erect five house posts along the Shoreline Trail. Ranging in height between nine and 17 feet (2.7 to 5.2 metres), each piece is made of red cedar and carries a message rooted in prayer and history.
Those narratives include honouring family patriarchs, the land and sea itself or the cosmic union of earth, plants, wildlife and humanity.
Evans expects the project to be fully completed this summer.
“When the viewer sees each of these pieces, it’s meant to bring upon some self reflection,” she says. “It’s not meant to tell something chronologically or to call upon stories from your lineage and your culture – it’s more so a call to look inward and think about relations between First Nations and the rest of the population.”
Cedar Woman, meanwhile, is akin to a 20-minute hymn to the sacred place cedar holds in First Nations lore. The show includes Evans working alongside six other performers in a story rooted 9,000 years ago, when the last Ice Age receded and a great flood ensued.
The show centres around a Coast Salish mask carved by Ocean Hyland and a large cedar box carved by Xwalacktun OBC, as the performers conjure a narrative calling attention to the need to preserve oldgrowth forests and other elements of the natural world.
“With Cedar Woman we’re not dancing as a character per se, we’re dancing as an ancestor or like a supernatural being,” Evans says. “There is a deep sense of reverence, of surrendering to becoming a part of something that’s bigger than yourself.”
Surrendering to art seemed intuitive to Evans from a young age, as she performed in a production of Wizard of Oz at the tender age of three. Where others would’ve
MY PERFECT DAY IN PORT MOODY:
“My perfect day in Port Moody includes waking to the sun and breathing in the fresh Port Moody air. Strolling down to the farmers market and sampling some delicious foods from around the world. Heading to the Shoreline Trail and sitting on the viewing platform at the foot of Si7la, our grandmother house post. I’d stop at Inlet Seafoods and grab some fresh mussels for dinner. Then after dinner, head back down to the water to watch a glorious sunset.“
clamoured in fear at the prospect of being in front of a crowd, Evans knew that performing would be her way forward before she even got to kindergarten.
She went on to study theatre at Simon Fraser University and was a professional performer at the tail end of her teenage years. Her work has since been presented by various companies including Co.ERASGA, Raven Spirit Dance and Dancers of the Damelahamid, and she’s performed all across Canada and other
locales spanning the globe.
“I never felt that performing was daunting because even at a young age I knew that it’s never just about me or wanting to show off,” she says. “We all have our own gifts in this world: some of us are dancers, some of us are storytellers, some of us are lawyers and some of us are drummers. You need to work with that gift in order to make this world a better place for all of our relations.” ❚
Creators of
'The Bear' by Cezar Salaveria
Cezar Grit Studio
For some, the idea of freedom can be a fleeting concept that’s ultimately forced upon them.
It’s a pursuit that can be perilous and materialize in a myriad of different ways: attempting to escape poverty, government overreach or social malaise.
Yet for others, chasing freedom means something entirely different – where nurturing the family and the soul is of paramount importance, as opposed to endlessly chasing the almighty dollar.
Cezar Salaveria is a case study in pursuing the latter.
An artist, fabricator, woodworker, furnituremaker, vintage art connoisseur and thriving entrepreneur, Salaveria has constantly re-invented himself over his 40-plus-year arts career.
He now heads up Port Moody’s Grit Studio, where seemingly disparate elements – a café, vintage hangout and art gallery – combine in a setting that’s as unique as it is eclectic. ❱❱
creator
NAME Cezar Salaveria
BUSINESS Grit Studio
ADDRESS 50 Queens Street
WEBSITE gritstudio.ca
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Cezar Grit Studio
Picture random ephemera dating back decades next to contemporary works from the community all alongside a cup of joe.
“When I first opened the business, I had to work backwards – I wanted to have an art gallery, but how could I sustain it?,” Salaveria recalls of Grit’s opening in 2020. “Having an art gallery in a coffee shop is a perfect mix because it’s like those two elements are having a conversation with one another.”
That Salaveria landed on the name Grit for his latest enterprise is no accident, but rather a rallying cry that encompasses much of his artistic output.
Take, for example, the first major break of Salaveria’s career in his native Philippines. He was assigned to write a story for a stage play that was situated in the Smokey Mountain area of Manila. The 5,000-person community was built atop a landfill and living conditions were appalling – to suggest it was a gritty experience was a vast understatement.
“For some reason I saw that experience and the reality that those people faced as part of my growth as an artist and being able to tell stories,” Salaveria recalls. “And ever since, I was one of those guys who would try to dabble with art and to be an effective storyteller.”
That formative experience as a young man led Salaveria to a more formal career path, namely working in music videos, independent filmmaking and in the advertising world.
He maintained the advertising gig for close to two decades but increasingly felt empty as he entered his 40s and prime earning years of life.
But rather than continuing to chase the big bucks, Salaveria took a complete left turn and established an artists’ collective in yet another rundown, gritty neighbourhood in Manila. The move gave Salaveria a chance to showcase the works of others while giving himself ample time to hone his craft.
“When I decided to quit the very lucrative career, I realized that I needed to feed my soul – I needed to chase a sense of freedom,” says Salaveria, 63.
Having steadily built the collective over five years, Salaveria pivoted yet again in 2009 and made the decision to move his young family to Canada. He worked in the fabrication industry for a decade, but as with his career in advertising, Salaveria pined for his youth – when he was working and creating for himself, rather than others.
MY PERFECT DAY IN PORT MOODY:
“A perfect day for me in Port Moody starts with a quiet morning coffee, watching the city wake up by the water. The afternoon is spent creating art, sharing ideas and connecting with fellow artists and creatives. As the sun sets, the city comes alive with conversations- a place where art feels welcomed and appreciated. For me, that’s what makes Port Moody feel like the City of the Arts.”
That yearning led to the first iteration of Grit Studio opening in 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, before a later move to its current location in a heritage building on Queens Street.
“The early days were really tough: a lot of businesses were closing and people were full of anxiety,” Salaveria says. “But my thought process was that it was perfect timing. I wanted to help people move past that fear, to feel resilience and grit.”
As the winds of fate would have it, Salaveria continues to learn that nothing in life is permanent – whether it be remaining in his place of birth, sticking
to where the money is at in the working world, or having one constant, bricks and mortar location.
The area near Grit Studio is slated for redevelopment at some point and Salaveria will pound the pavement for yet another new space to showcase his life’s work. But despite the lemons life has handed him, Salaveria is nothing if not optimistic.
“When you want something badly, you have to be resilient and that’s my basic principle in life,” Salaveria says. “As long as you have the freedom to do what you want, you can probably do something awesome.” ❚
Creators of
Sam Rewind Beer Co.
Oh, to be born at the tail end of Generation X.
The 1980s and early ’90s were replete with cultural touchstones that have many still pining for those halcyon days: Star Wars and The Princess Bride were fresh in the theatres; a specific nomenclature gave us terms like rad, gnarly or tubular; or big hair that seemingly rivalled the Lions Gate Bridge in height.
Sam Payne is happily leaning into that nostalgia with both feet.
Alongside business partner Vern Lambourne, Payne heads up Rewind Beer Co. on Port Moody’s Brewers Row in a setting that’s akin to Mecca for ’80s and ’90s enthusiasts.
Spread across 2,500 square feet between the tasting room and patio, stepping into Rewind is very much like hopping into a 1982 Delorean and travelling back in time: PlayStation button lights on the ceiling, magic eye posters and other vintage art; ❱❱
NAME Sam Payne
BUSINESS Rewind Beer Co.
ADDRESS 2809 Murray Street
WEBSITE rewindbeer.com
ANDY WHYTE PHOTOS
Sam Rewind Beer Co.
sports pennants from teams that no longer exist; nods to local establishments like Eagle Ridge Cinemas or Lougheed Mall; or loud, over-the-top, bright pink furniture.
It’s unabashedly 11 out of 10 on the sensory scale, complete with neon lights and no dimmer switches.
“When you first walk in, the very first thing you see is the wood siding that was in grandma’s basement while you were growing up,” Payne says. “It’s very bright and energetic because we want people to get blasted back into that era.”
Outside of trinkets, art and other eye candy, the nostalgia seeps across the menu: Laser Light Lager, Tape Deck Czech Pilsner, or That’s So Fetch Fruit Sour.
And then there’s the pizza. The Hightop Pizza served out of Rewind takes its cues from Detroit-style culinary inspiration: think deep dish with a beautiful cheese crown around it that is simultaneously substantial and yet light to eat.
“I think in any business where there’s branding and wholesale sales involved, you’re going to have to find a way to stand out,” Payne says. “I can’t imagine another room you’d walk into where Whitney Houston is blaring over the speakers and nobody thinks it’s out of place.”
Beyond his penchant for yesteryear, Payne is a beer guy through and through. Now 49, he’s been working in some semblance of beer sales, brewing or hospitality since his mid 20s.
His early career saw Payne working as a bartender, beer delivery guy and eventually sales and promotion.
MY PERFECT DAY IN PORT MOODY:
“My perfect day in Port Moody starts simply: at home with my wife, our two kids and a much-needed morning coffee. Once we’re all up and moving, we make our way to Sweet Talk Donuts — our go-to spot for breakfast sandwiches that never disappoint. From there, it’s time to get outside. With our dogs Lucky and Bailey in tow, we head for some off-leash exploring at Bert Flinn Park. It’s one of those easy, happy family moments that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Next up is the soccer field, where I coach my son’s game — lots of energy and all the fun that comes with it. The best group of kids and parents and a true pleasure. After the game, we regroup at home and tag-team a bit of “me time,” each fitting in a workout wherever we can. To wrap up the day, we meet friends along Brewers Row for dinner at Rewind/ High Top—Pizza for great food and company and a relaxed end to a full day. Then it’s back home, where movie night usually turns into falling asleep on the couch before the credits roll.”
Rewind opened in 2022, six years after Payne and Lambourne established the nearby Parkside Brewery.
It stands to reason that getting traction in an already crowded marketplace along Brewers Row wouldn’t be without its challenges. And then there’s the hugely popular, province-wide craft beer scene to contend with. But Payne maintains there’s a special air of congeniality that permeates not just through Brewers Row,
but across the City of Port Moody itself.
“I’ll never forget the day that Parkside opened: we had a lineup at 1 p.m., it started to drizzle and we were full immediately,” Payne recalls. “That just speaks to the phenomenon of Brewers Row and how Port Moody and the rest of the Tri-Cities came out to support small business. I don’t know where else could have that same experience, but ours was pretty special.” ❚
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