Army & Navy celebrates its 100th birthday

Credit: Paul Duchart

Three generations of the Cohen family: Jacqui Cohen, Army & Navy president and CEO; Marlene Cohen, family matriarch; and Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf, Face of Today founder and president

Flagship Gastown store opens its doors to partygoers

An intimate gathering of 200 guests attended the Army & Navy’s 100th birthday celebrations at the flagship store in Gastown. Guests wandered the renovated store, enjoyed food and drink and shopped the night away. Jacqui Cohen, Army & Navy Department Store president and CEO, addressed the crowd, commenting on the company her grandfather Samuel started. OUTtv owner and former B.C. politician Joy MacPhail and Melanie Mark, B.C. Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training, also addressed the crowd. A special snack bar called “Jack’s Place” was set up in the store in honour of Jacqui’s father, Jack Cohen, former Army & Navy VP.

Beginning Wednesday, May 1, at 8 a.m., Army & Navy will open the doors of its five stores for its popular shoe sale, birthday cake for early shoppers and storewide Deals of the Century with prices as low as 100 cents.

Samuel Joseph Cohen, a Jewish Canadian, opened the first Army & Navy location on West Hastings Street in Vancouver in 1919, selling liquidation stock from closing, bankrupt or destroyed stores, and World War I army and navy surplus goods at low prices.

Credit: Paul Duchart

Terry Hui, Concord Pacific Group CEO; and Jacqui Cohen, Army & Navy president andCEO

Credit: Paul Duchart

Musician/actor Jim Byrnes; and Gloria Macarenko, CBC host and 2018 Order of Canada recipient

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Artist John Ferrie had Army & Navy prints available for guests; along with Blaine Culling, Granville Entertainment Group owner

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Risa Levine, retired judge; Bill Levine, Western Corporate Enterprises president; and Michael Fugman, PearTree Canada VP business development Western Canada

Credit: Paul Duchart

Carven Li, Melanie Mark constituency assistant; and Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training

Credit: Paul Duchart

Marlene Cohen, Cohen family matriarch; and G.David de Lusignan, Jordans director sales and merchandising

Credit: Paul Duchart

Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf, Face of Today founder and president; and JJ Wilson, Ride Cycle Club founder and Very Polite Agency partner/VP brand strategy

Credit: Paul Duchart

James Shavick, OUTtv chairman; and Joy MacPhail, OUTtv owner and former B.C. politician

Credit: Paul Duchart

Kane Clarke, Global Shoe Connection sales rep; Bill Pettit, Waco/Florshiem sales rep Western Canada; and Tim Ikavalko, retired

Credit: Paul Duchart

Fabian Lemann, Jura director of sales and marketing; and Manuel Otero, Jura business development manager

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Jacqui Cohen, Army & Navy president and CEO, addresses the crowd

Credit: Paul Duchart

Joy MacPhail, OUTtv owner and former B.C. politician, addresses the crowd

Credit: Paul Duchart

Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training

Credit: Paul Duchart

Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf, Face of Today founder; and Marcus Rambold

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G.David de Lusignan, Jordans director sales and merchandising; Marlene Cohen, Cohen family matriarch; Manuel Otero, Jura business development manager; and Rob van Baaren

Credit: Paul Duchart

Architect Russell Hollingsworth, The Hollingsworth Group owner; and Arabella Campbell, artist

Credit: Paul Duchart

Jim Laing, restoration specialist; and Erin Mulhern, Macdonald Realty realtor

Credit: Paul Duchart

Robert Fung, The Salient Group founder; Jordan Stewart, Gastown Business Association chair; Stefanie Schulz, Gastown Business Association executive director; and Walley Wargolet, Gastown Business Association board member