Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union spotted at Victoria restaurant
There must be something in the atmosphere: three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade and award-winning actress Gabrielle Union stopped by Shuck Taylor’s oyster bar in Victoria this past weekend.
Union, known for her roles in Bring It On and 10 Things I Hate About You, is in town filming an upcoming horror film, Casket Girls. Her connection to Shuck Taylor’s came through her makeup artist, who quickly became a regular, according to owner Jess Taylor.
“Malika, who’s Gabrielle Union’s hairdresser, came into Shucks with her mom, like a week before… I just sat down with them, got the table rolling, bought them some drinks, and they just started coming in all the time,” Taylor said.
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Word got to Union how great Shuck’s is, and while her husband visited her for a weekend, the two decided to try it out last Saturday night. Taylor said that while Union’s presence sparked a few glances, Wade mostly flew mostly under the radar.
“All the people in the room didn’t recognize Dwyane Wade,” Taylor shared. “John [a Shuck’s employee], though, he lost it, just totally surprised.”
Taylor said the couple stayed past closing, indulging in oysters with Wade sampling a bit of everything.
“We were having fun — it was a good time, and we shut down the place,” Taylor recounted. “[Wade] just wanted to try everything — oysters, lobster rolls, chicken sandwiches, you name it.”
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Taylor was able to play host while chatting with Wade, covering his legendary Miami Heat days and reminiscing about the Vancouver Grizzlies. “He said all the people he knew loved playing [in Vancouver].”
Beyond Shuck’s, Union and Wade got to see one of Victoria’s most stunning sunset spots at PKOLS (Mount Douglas). “They said they went out to see the sunset, one of the best they’ve ever seen, up at the top of Mount Douglas,” Taylor shared.
It’s a morale boost for the bar, which recently had its window broken in, and so many restaurants closing. “Even Wade gave me props for running a restaurant — he’s owned two himself,” Taylor added.
Union’s upcoming wrap party for Casket Girls might bring the celebrity and film crew back to Shuck’s, and Taylor is already looking forward to it.
Shuck Taylor’s
Address: 1324 Blanshard Street, Victoria