Cowboys & Angels Kid Centre Ltd

Located in the heart of Kerrisdale, Cowboys and Angels is a toy store, portrait studio and make-your-own ceramics studio all under one roof. The store is designed from a mother’s perspective; co-owner Polly Grosvenor only sells what she would buy for her own children.

Here you’ll discover quality brands such as Melissa and Doug, 3 Sprouts, Creativity For Kids, Great Pretenders, Faber Castell, Elenco, Magformers and Schoenhut. “We’ve got a nice play area for the kids and we sell only very eclectic toys, nothing generic,” says co-owner Philip Grosvenor.“Polly takes care of all that, she goes through endless magazines and shops.”

While Polly concentrates on the toys, the portrait studio is Philip’s pride and joy. Here, he uses his photography skills to bring out the best in children and families. “I love taking pictures of people. I’ve got amazing patience, and I like to take time to get a nice performance out of them, young and old,” says Philip.

The third facet of the business, the ceramics studio, rounds out the action at Cowboys and Angels. “The ceramics studio is incredibly popular,” notes Philip. “We’re busy with birthday parties on the weekend and camps during the summer months; they take over my studio! It’s great to see all the little kids; there are lots of laughs here.”

Opened in 2009, Cowboys and Angels reflects the collective artistic imagination of Polly and Philip, who led fascinating careers before moving to Vancouver with their three children. Polly, originally from England, worked as a photographic stylist for international fashion magazines including Elle and Vogue, and was even invited to Royal family photo shoots, where she met the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson.

Philip, originally from Montreal, travelled the world as a director of photography for many commercials and feature films, including Educating Rita, The Spy Who Loved Me and Superman.