Venue Partners/North Vancouver Shipyards
Catering at The Pipe Shop
7,900 sq ft restored heritage industrial venue on the Shipyards waterfront — original wood beams, concrete floors, and sweeping Burrard Inlet views.
The Pipe Shop is one of the most character-rich event venues in Metro Vancouver. Originally part of the Burrard Dry Dock shipyards, the building was restored as a venue while preserving its 1940s industrial bones — original wooden beams, exposed trusses, polished concrete floors, and festoon lighting strung overhead.
Recent upgrades modernised what the building needed without compromising what makes it special: full HVAC, acoustic ceiling treatment (a game-changer for speeches and music), and upgraded lighting. Waterfront windows frame Burrard Inlet and the downtown skyline across the water.
At 7,900 sq ft, the footprint scales: intimate 80-guest winter weddings look dramatic against the concrete, and 500-guest corporate launches still feel spacious with stations and a dance floor. It's the most flexible venue on our North Shore roster.
From our coordinators
Why we love catering here
7,900 sq ft clear-span floor — any layout configuration works
Original heritage details give every photo backdrop character
Acoustic treatment makes speeches + amplified music sound clean
Direct waterfront location on the Shipyards pedestrian promenade
Level load-in with service-door access from the Shipyards service road
Capacity
How many guests fit?
Menu & service
What works at The Pipe Shop
Live food stations
From $45 / guest
The open footprint easily supports 4–5 live stations distributed through the space, each with its own visual identity — classic Pipe Shop energy.
See menu →Fine plated dinner
From $75 / guest
Industrial bones make a plated dinner feel elevated rather than stuffy — long tables down the centre with the waterfront view as a backdrop.
See menu →Passed canapés
From $22 / guest
Cocktail receptions flow beautifully here; the scale accommodates 10+ passed varieties without congestion.
See menu →The details
Event logistics
Operational notes from our coordinators — the things that affect how a quote comes together for this venue.
- Load-in
- Level service-door access from Pier Street. No stairs, no elevator bottleneck — keeps rental staff costs contained.
- Kitchen
- Many Vancouver venues have warming or prep kitchens only (not full hot-cooking lines). We bring our own mobile induction + convection units when needed — already factored into the per-guest rate for this venue.
- Bar
- For venues without an in-house liquor licence, we coordinate through our hospitality partners under a BC Special Event Permit — one itemised wine/beer/spirits line on your quote, no hidden markup.
- AV
- Acoustic ceiling treatment means amplified speeches and live music land cleanly without echo. Standard power throughout; large events may require supplementary distribution.
Plan your event at The Pipe Shop
Tell us about your event and we'll send a written proposal tailored to The Pipe Shop's kitchen setup, logistics, and guest capacity — usually within 48 business hours of our first call.
Smart Event Planning
Plan your event at this venue
FAQ
About catering at The Pipe Shop
Is the Pipe Shop climate-controlled year-round?
Yes. Full HVAC was installed during the restoration, so winter weddings and summer galas both work. The acoustic treatment also dampens outside boat-traffic noise from the inlet.
How does the Pipe Shop compare to The Wallace (both Shipyards)?
The Pipe Shop is larger (7,900 sq ft vs The Wallace's 3,500 indoor + 2,400 patio) and industrial-heritage in character. The Wallace has a more polished modern aesthetic and a rooftop patio. Pipe Shop suits events 180+; Wallace suits 100–180.
Is there parking at the Pipe Shop?
Street parking + the Shipyards underground paid lot is available for guests. For larger events we arrange a shuttle from downtown — 10 minutes via SeaBus or 15 minutes by road.