Five Coolest Bookstores in Canada

Canadians love books.

We have a rich history of fantastic authors. And a love of reading.

I blame the winters. What else can you do for 6 months indoors?

With book-loving comes book-selling. (There’s a fun capitalist transition!)

And with book-selling comes the occasional cool bookstore that breaks from the norm.

Here are 5 of those in Canada.

Maktaba Bookshop — Montreal, QC

A ‘concept’ bookshop nestled into Old Montreal, Maktaba has become a popular destination.

A spectacular location smack dab in the middle of Old Montreal with a cool vibe set this place apart from most other bookstores. The selection of books is highly curated and aren’t ones you would normally find.

It’s a neat stop if you’re already in the touristy part of Montreal.

Bearly Used Books — Parry Sound, ON

Bearly Used Books is 3 hours north of Toronto in the lovely town of Parry Sound. (And is my personal favourite on this list.)

It’s a used bookstore set up all over an old house. Different rooms are for different genres. (Fantasy dining room anyone? Sci-fi kitchen?) As you can see in the photos, the organization system is a little wild but it makes browsing so much fun. Every possible wall space is covered in shelves and books. And some of the floor.

There are couches and chairs all over the place to plop down and read. The staff is lovely and the prices are wildly low.

The last time I went, I bought 4 books for $10. And they gave me a free bag because she said she liked my shirt.

And if you pick up a book, read it and come back, they give you 75% of your purchase price back. With the beach next door, you can do this for a whole vacation.

Yellowknife Book Cellar — Yellowknife, NWT

By all accounts, this is a very normal bookstore.

Except…

It’s the northernmost bookstore in Canada. For anyone unfamiliar with Canada, Yellowknife would be a 25-hour drive north of Vancouver.

Featuring books, crafts and gifts from Northern residents, this is a neat store to add to the bucket list.

Also, you’d get to see the Arctic and you have a good chance at seeing the Northern Lights.

Ben McNally Books — Toronto, ON

The ‘prettiest bookstore in Toronto’ as it's often called is located smack-dab in the middle of downtown Toronto.

It is lovely. They’ve done a fantastic job of the interior, with these dark, rich wood tones. And the books are laid out on them in perfect order.

It’s so lovely that many events are held here. Weddings, book readings, private parties, etc.

I’ve been three times and twice they were closed for events.

Also, the books are rather expensive…

But it is worth checking out if you’re wandering down Queen St anyways!

Block Shop Books — Lunenberg, NS

Located over 2 hours outside of Halifax, this gem sits on Canada’s beautiful east coast.

Integrating the original architecture of the building (that’s very old) into a cozy bookstore that features the works of east coast authors?

Count me in.

This place is as charming as it is adorable. And Lunenberg is well worth the trip.

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I’ve had the pleasure of visiting 4 of the stores on this list. (I’ll come for you one day Yellowknife!) And I enjoyed all 4.

Let me know if you have any cool bookstores I should add to my travel lists!