Image: Columbia Records
Buddha’s, the iconic Vancouver nightclub formerly known as the Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret – and which was immortalized on the cover of the 54-40 album of the same name – has apparently fallen victim to an arsonist.
The longtime venue, where Jimi Hendrix once played, was reportedly set on fire this past Sunday night. The Vancouver Fire Department responded pronto and were able to put the blaze out, but the damage “will require the property to change ownership and be extensively restored/developed”, according to the description on a $20,000 GoFundMe which has been set up.
The club – being renovated over the past six months or so – has been a fixture in the city for more than a hundred years, under various names, sometimes as a restaurant, sometimes not. The fundraiser will help secure the building from further damage and enable planning for the future.
Love, Dr. Scott James
