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11 Of The Dreamiest Bookstores To Get Lost In Across Canada

From the shop founded by Alice Munro in Victoria to a Nova Scotia bookstore that specializes in rare titles, here's our roundup of great spots every avid reader should visit.
11 Of The Dreamiest Bookstores To Get Lost In Across Canada

Photo, Brandon Marsh Photography.

Winter is the season of books, so what better time to poke around the shelves of your local shop in search of your next favourite title? To get you inspired for an afternoon of browsing, we've rounded up some of this country's most-beloved independent bookstores, from a shop founded by Alice Munro, to one specializing in “radical reads,” to another featuring hard-to-find first editions. Put them on your list for your next visit to Victoria, Wolfville and Burlington.

The Bookshelf, Guelph, Ontario

After opening The Bookshelf in 1973, owners Barb and Doug Minett added a café in 1980 to make it Canada’s first bookstore/café, and then seven years later added a cinema and bar. Shortly thereafter they took over and renovated the building next door to add a music venue and restaurant. Over the years, The Bookshelf has held readings by John Irving, Michael Ondaatje, and Margaret Atwood, and musical performances by Serena Ryder, the Constantines, and Sarah Harmer. It currently holds 14 film screenings a week and offers dinner and a movie every Tuesday to Saturday.

41 Quebec St.

Exterior shot at nighttime of The Bookshelf bookstore for the article on best independent bookstores CanadaPhoto, Brandon Marsh Photography.

The Odd Book, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Specializing in second-hand, rare, and out-of-print books, The Odd Book has been open in the university town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, since 1977. When purchasing used books for the store, owner Jim Gow pays particular attention to interesting characteristics, such as Victorian-era binding, marks of previous owners like interleaved mementoes, or outrageous cover art.

112 Front St.

Interior shot of The Odd Book, Wolfville, Nova Scotia for independent bookstores canadaPhoto, Tobias Gow.

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Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, Montreal, Quebec

Founded in 1989 by Chris Oliveros as a magazine, Drawn & Quarterly has grown to become an internationally renowned publisher of comics and graphic novels. In 2007, Oliveros opened Librarie Drawn & Quarterly in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood, and it’s become a favourite spot among local authors and book-lovers. And just this past October, La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly opened just down the street, focusing exclusively on children’s literature, including graphic novels for kids.

Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, 211 Bernard Ouest.

La Petite Librairie D+Q 176 Bernard Ouest.

Interior shot of Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, Montreal, Quebec for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Drawn & Quarterly.

Whodunit, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Looking for a great mystery novel? Whodunit is the place to find it. Open since 1994, this bookstore offers a full range of crime fiction plus so much more, with a collection spanning over 18,000 books. On the last Tuesday of every month, Whodunit hosts a Mystery Reading Club. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in-store, the owners will gladly order it for you. And this shop is doing better than ever! In the summer of 2018, they moved to a new space that is twice the size of their previous shop—expanding their collection beyond mystery, as well. You'll now find an extensive children's section and more local authors, with lots of unexpected treasures from all genres. 

163 Lilac St.

11 Of The Dreamiest Bookstores To Get Lost In Across CanadaPhoto, Aaron Cohen.

Mabel’s Fables, Toronto, Ontario

Since opening its doors in 1988, Mabel’s Fables has become a go-to destination for books for children and young adults. Located in a two-story building in Toronto’s Midtown, Mabel’s Fables offers a book club and classes for adults on writing fiction for children (in association with George Brown College). Mabel’s Fables also collects gently used books for Children’s Book Bank, a charity that provides free books to low-income communities.   

662 Mount Pleasant Rd.

Exterior shot of Mabel’s Fables, Toronto, Ontario for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Mabel's Fables.

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Munro’s Books, Victoria, British Columbia

Located in the heart of Victoria’s Old Town, Munro’s Books has been a must-visit destination for book-lovers for more than 50 years. Original owners, Jim and Alice Munro, opened the store in 1963 in a spall space on Yates St. In 1979, it moved to a larger place on Fort Street, and then in 1984, to its current location, a beautiful neo-classical building with 24-foot coffered ceilings, originally built for the Royal Bank of Canada in 1909. Not sure what you’re looking for? The staff, most of whom have been with Munro’s for decades, are always eager to help.

1108 Government St.

Exterior shot of Munro’s Books, Victoria, British Columbia for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Munro's Books.

Café Books, Canmore, Alberta

Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Café Books is a sight to behold. The majority of the furniture is reclaimed and salvaged. The main bookcase is made from an old butler pantry from a Pennsylvania Mansion; a Welsh chapel door from the 1800s was transformed into the washroom entrance; and an 18th-century French workbench with a draw and functioning vice is used as a table for the cashier tills. Along with a selection of books, the store also sells jewellery, pottery and artwork by Canadian artists.

100-826 Main St.

Exterior shot of Café Books, Canmore, Alberta for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Café Books.

Bison Books, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Bison Books in downtown Winnipeg specializes in antiquarian, used, and out-of-print books (they currently have over 20,000 titles!), including many hard-to-find first editions. (They also offer recent fiction and graphic novels.) And if you have a book you think may be worth a penny or two, owner Aimee Peake will happily appraise it for you in accordance with the code of conduct set out by the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.

424 Graham Ave.

Exterior shot of Bison Books, Winnipeg, Manitoba for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Bison Books.

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Ben McNally Books, Toronto, Ontario

Open since 2007 in the heart of Toronto’s Financial District, Ben McNally Books specializes in first-run hardcovers and hard-to-find books from the U.S. and U.K. While the store itself might only be 10 years old, Ben McNally himself has been an integral part of the Toronto book scene, for many years, having worked as the manager of the now defunct high-end Nicholas Hoare Bookstore. The warm and inviting, wood-panelled 2,500-square-foot space also acts as an events venue after hours.  

336 Bay St.

Interior shot of Ben McNally Books, Toronto, Ontario for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Ben McNally Books.

Spartacus Books, Vancouver, British Columbia

Spartacus Books is a non-profit, volunteer-run bookstore and resource centre in downtown Vancouver. It’s also one of the longest serving (40 years and counting) collectively run bookstores in North America. Started by students from Simon Fraser University, its original name was Spartacus Socialist Education Society and today still sticks to its “radical bookstore” roots by offering sections such as anarchism, socialism, radical theory, and community organizing. Spartacus also offers free Internet and computer access, free coffee and tea, and cozy couches to curl up and read on.

3378 Findlay St.

Interior shot of Spartacus Books, Vancouver, British Columbia for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, Allison Jones.

A Different Drummer, Burlington, Ontario

Situated in an Edwardian red brick house that was built in 1905, A Different Drummer in Burlington, Ontario, was founded by John Richardson and Al Cummings (Cummings was also Robert Bateman’s first publisher) in 1970. The bookstore occupies all three floors of the house and stocks books on a wide variety of subjects, with a special focus on local authors. Every spring and fall the store hosts “The Book and Author Series,” where guests get to enjoy breakfast as well as a presentation and book signed by the author of the featured book.  

513 Locust St.

Exterior shot of A Different Drummer, Burlington, Ontario for independent bookstores canada postPhoto, A Different Drummer.

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