There’s nothing like walking into a bookstore for the first time. The vintage vibe, friendly staff, and if you’re in luck, that rare edition find. But with so many options in Toronto, where should you begin?
I grew up surrounded by books. There was nothing quite like immersing myself in a new, fictional world where kids like me were the heroes. As I got older, I had a hard time staying on top of my reading. Why? School took over and it became a chore. I managed to fight this through high school, reading as a form of rebellion against the assignments I dreaded so deeply but once college came around, I didn’t stand a chance.
As I like to say, I’m in recovery from business school. I don’t know what possessed me to think it was a good idea to major in this (that’s a story for another day) but now, a few years after putting it behind me, I’m on a mission to fall in love with reading again. In some ways, I’m ready to find my way back home.
To do this, I’ve put together the following list of must-see bookstores in Toronto. All unique in their own way, these hidden gems caught my eye and I can’t wait to visit and share with you what each one of them is truly like—so stay tuned for those posts!
The Monkey’s Paw | 1067 Bloor St W
The Monkey’s Paw was the first bookstore I went to after moving to Toronto last fall. I was immediately taken by their collection, as the shop worker at the time told me: “You’ll find the book you didn’t know you were looking for”. I left with a collection of essays in Spanish and a surprise book from their Biblio-Mat.
If I’m being honest, the Biblio-Mat was enough to get me hooked. For $5, you get a random old-school book of amazing quality. In addition, their overall selection is surprising: I found a first edition of Mario Benedetti’s Inventario II, a poetry collection I first owned when I was 14.
If you want to take a trip down memory lane, check out The Monkey’s Paw remote window display to get an idea of what you can find.
She Said Boom on College | 378 College Street
She Said Boom is an iconic bookstore with more than 20 years of history and two locations across Toronto. The Roncasville location has been around since 1999, when John Bowker and his partner decided to merge both of their passions into a single shop: records and books. Back then, they weren’t sure how people would react to this unusual combination but the mix of post-punk sounds and classical literature was a huge success.
The location on College St immediately caught my eye because of its discount section: books for $2 and records for $1, what more could you ask for? You’re also a short walk (depending on who you ask) to Trinity Bellwoods park, one of my top choice reading spots.
Follow them on Instagram for the newest record arrivals and don’t forget to hit up that discount section!
Swipe Design | 401 Richmond Street West
Swipe is an independent bookstore focusing on advertising, graphic design, urbanism, and architecture. Located in the heart of Toronto near Spadina Av, this store not only carries a highly curated collection of books but also aesthetically pleasing products, showcasing a minimalist Scandinavian style.
Kellie Hadjidimitriou has been the store’s manager and buyer since the late ’90s. In a statement for the Yellow Pages, she shared the reason behind the name:
“That’s where the name Swipe came from. Designers come to ‘swipe’ ideas. We want our customers to be able to walk in and ask for something and we’ll know what they’re talking about.”
Kellie Hadjidimitriou
If you want to stay on top of the latest design trends and find the perfect additions for your minimalist aesthetic, check out Swipe’s online store to plan your visit!
Ready to get your read-on? Explore these amazing Toronto bookstores for a unique experience! Click below for more information and stay tuned for the review posts 🙂
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