#Our Story
2015
The Foundations on Main Street
The story of High Brow Social Club began in 2015, nestled within the vibrant community of Uptown Villa on 24th & Main. Long before establishing our current home in Downtown Vancouver, owner Joe Brows manifested the original location through sheer determination, checking the unlisted property daily until it finally hit the market. What started as a single wax pot and a 10’X14’ room in a commercial townhome quickly evolved into a sanctuary of intentional design and high-end curation. Every detail of the original building was engineered to cultivate an elite atmosphere, from the complete absence of harsh fluorescent lighting to preserve flawless color accuracy, to the monthly energy cleanses performed by our trusted psychic medium. It was a space designed to be felt as much as it was seen, anchored by a bustling makeup foyer lined with hundreds of luxury formulations and a lively Brow Island where eclectic music, complimentary drinks, and transformative artistry laid the groundwork for our signature social experience.
Cultivating Craftsmanship
As the business flourished, the layout of our original location mapped the initial blueprints of the moody, luxurious aesthetic our clients love today. The space was a sensory journey of distinct environments, shifting from the calming lavender hues and abstract allure of the original Lash Lounge, where clients routinely escaped for power naps and introspective conversations, to the deeply personal, mysterious depths of Abigail’s Red Room. Overlooking Anthem Park, this favorite corner of the boutique was enveloped in lush crimson walls and spooky curiosities, housing our advanced facial regimens and early cosmetic tattooing workflows. While our location has since expanded to accommodate our growing community, those early days on Main Street permanently fused our commitment to clinical precision with an uncompromising, alternative luxury vibe that remains the heartbeat of High Brow Social Club.
2024
Realizing the Vision in Downtown Vancouver
October 2024 marked a monumental evolution for High Brow Social Club, a milestone that was a solid ten years in the making. We moved away from our original layout to open a massive, custom-designed building right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver, tripling our space in the process. This expansion wasn’t just about getting bigger; it was about tearing down the old beauty salon rules. Back in 2015, Joe started out kicking down doors, trailblazing a concept that was uniquely simple yet entirely missing from the local scene. He wanted to bring the back-end of salon services right to the forefront where they could be showcased, entirely removing the stigma of being treated as “just an add-on service.” That bold perspective takes physical form in our new location, which features a gorgeous showroom floor dedicated exclusively to cruelty-free products and cosmetics with raw, premium ingredients, formulations we proudly stand behind because they refuse to sell out to the next highest corporate bidder.
A Hub for Creatives and Community Growth
More than just a beauty shop, the move downtown allowed us to become true innovators and designers by introducing custom studio leases. What was once the occassional pop-up from local Vancouver creatives turned into permanent residency space, creating a collective of artists and creators. This program is deeply personal to Joe, who was raised by a single mother who struggled for many years. Because of that background, he has always been fiercely passionate about creating spaces that offer competitive pay, real opportunities for advancement, and a workspace where absolutely every single person feels genuinely welcomed regardless of gender or background. By opening up our building to certified leases, we invite independent local small business owners to run their own shops under our umbrella, introducing incredible new treatments we never had the luxury of providing before. From full facials to high-end tattooing, including masters of realism, full-color, and fine-line work like Jessie Barragan of JB TattooStudio, Vancouver now has something completely unique waiting for it. From the second you step inside, you will understand that this isn’t just another beauty salon; it’s an entire vibe and an experience built on raw integrity.
Today
Expanding the Collective
Today, High Brow Social Club is operating at the absolute peak of its collaborative vision, continuously expanding our roster with premier independent talent. Our studio lease program has brought in an elite lineup of tattoo artists, including Laura Chump of Spire Tattoo, who brings her meticulously hand-painted flash and blackwork to our clients’ flesh, and Lauren Katz of Hex Tattoo, who brings specialized expertise in gothic, cybersigilism, and fine-line artistry. Alongside these new creative partnerships, our core family is growing stronger than ever. We are incredibly proud to welcome back veteran aesthetician Lilliana Grace, one of our longest-standing original team members from the Main Street days, who returns full-time with a redefined perspective and top-notch talent. Furthermore, the studio has bridged alternative aesthetics with advanced clinical care by bringing in Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner Debbie Gale and her business, Dynamic Regenerative Medicine. Offering everything from IV therapies and next-gen PRP to specialized tattoo removal and plasma microneedling, this partnership cements High Brow as a true powerhouse of both artistic self-expression and patient-centered wellness.
The Speakeasy Market: A Secret Destination
The ultimate realization of our collective energy is the launch of The Speakeasy Market, Vancouver’s very first alternative market of oddities, curiosities, and magic. Running every Saturday throughout the summertime from 10am to 3pm, this hidden destination is tucked away on High Brow’s private patio, creating a secret, moody haven right in the middle of the bustling Downtown Vancouver Farmers Market. Visitors can slip away from the mainstream crowds by entering directly through our front doors on 8th Street behind the booths, or pathing their way through the back entrance off Esther Street and 7th Ave right next to the food carts. Built as a direct alternative and a long-needed, underground destination for the local community, the patio transforms into a lively bazaar of independent renters showcasing beautiful, mysterious wares and custom artistry. It is a secret market experience that captures everything High Brow Social Club stands for, bringing the bold, the beautiful, and the beautifully strange right to the heart of the city.
