Smilin' Buddha Cabaret T-Shirt

The Smilin' Buddha Cabaret was a Vancouver "Supper Club" opened in 1953 by Albert Kwan. Its iconic neon sign, now found at the Museum of Vancouver, was a city landmark, and one of the most ornate pieces of neon signwork ever made in Vancouver. While "The Buddha" or "Smiley's" welcomed many great musicians to its small stage from the '50s to well into the '90s, it was more simply known as a place for local and touring musicians to congregate. The venue closed seemingly for good in 1993, serving its last 16–17 years as Vancouver's epicenter of punk rock, though the space would be resurrected in 2013 as an indoor skate park and music venue where punk bands could once again take the stage and rock the house.