Toronto’s Best Independent Bookstores
A tour of four of the city’s most interesting independent bookstores
Lots of popular titles, plenty of shelf space, an extensive gift section—oh, and, of course, a Starbucks. Sound familiar? To the average book buyer, it should. Put all of these things together and you’ve got an Indigo, the Walmart of bookselling. Throw in the deep discounts online giants like Amazon.com are able to offer and that amounts to some pretty fierce competition for the small bookseller. It’s no wonder there have been scores of closures since the ’90s, not to mention countless declarations that the independent bookstore is dead. But, somehow, despite all of the odds, a handful of indie bookstores in Toronto are still holding out against the homogenizing giants. Here’s a look at what makes some of the city’s quirky independent bookstores so unique compared to the competition—and why they’re worth supporting.
Pages Book and Magazines
256 Queen Street West
As their motto goes, Pages has been “fiercely independent since 1979.” The store is known for its “counterculture” selection of contemporary literature, art and design, cultural theory, and gender studies. Pages also distinguishes itself from other book retailers by avidly supporting small-press titles, which the store features in a separate section.
A distinctive piece of the actual bricks-and-mortar store is the Pages Art Window, which faces out onto trendy Queen Street West and displays the (often provocative) work of local artists. Pages proprietor Marc Glassman accepts submissions via email and displays the chosen pieces for free.
In 2003, Pages expanded its roster of literary and cultural events with a new programme in conjunction with Eye Weekly called This is Not a Reading Series (TINARS), which presents writers and artists with new books. Take a look at the TINARS manifesto for a better idea of the series’ eclectic, conversational vibe.
Toronto Women’s Bookstore
73 Harbord Street
By fostering and promoting feminist and anti-oppression politics, the Toronto Women’s Bookstore (TWB) is more than just a bookstore—it’s an important cultural institution. This non-profit bookstore has been operating since 1973 and considers its mission is “to provide books by women writers, especially marginalized women.” The TWB also stocks hard-to-find magazines, journals, and zines, plus music and locally crafted jewellery.
As a destination for activism and education, the TWB offers regular community-based programming reflecting its values, including workshops, classes, and readings. The bookstore also stands by its dedication to the community and progressive social change by donating 10 per cent of its sales to a different community organization on the last Friday of every month. Groups the TWB has supported in the past include PEN Canada, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, and the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention.
Type Books
503 Danforth Avenue
Run by two University of Toronto PhD graduates, Type Books has been incredibly successful, considering the odds. The first Type Books opened in May 2006 on 883 Queen Street West, followed by a second on 394 Spadina Road in November 2007, and then a third location on 503 Danforth Avenue in May 2008. Co-owner Samara Walbohm describes Type as “the ideal library: a combination of classic books that are very familiar to you and the books you dream about owning.”
Each location is unique though, shaping itself to the interests of the surrounding community. Where the flagship Queen West location is hip and edgy, focusing on art and design, with a gallery space in the basement, the latest Danforth site caters to the neighbourhood’s demand for cookbooks, books on the environment, and, most of all, children’s books. The room above the store is a Kids Lounge where Type holds events such as art classes and children’s book readings. Their most exciting event so far was the launch of Mélanie Watt’s hit Chester’s Back!
David Mirvish Books
596 Markham Street
David Mirvish Books, which focuses on high quality books on the visual arts, has remained the place to be for artists, art lovers, and anyone looking for an amazing coffee table book for over thirty years. David Mirvish, son of the late Toronto businessman and philanthropist “Honest” Ed Mirvish, opened the store in 1974, just over a decade after opening the David Mirvish Gallery in 1963, which specialized in the American abstract painters of the ’60s and ’70s.
Unfortunately, as of February 28, 2009, the bookstore will close and David Mirvish Books will live on through its website sales alone. The building the store has called home since its expansion in 1975 is a piece of art in itself, designed by architect John Andrews (best known for his work on Scarborough College and the CN Tower).
Inside, the fifty-foot long painting “Damascus Gate, Stretch Variation” by postwar American minimalist painter and print-maker Frank Stella occupies the back wall of the bookstore. There’s no word yet on what will happen to the building or the painting.
To their visitors and faithful customers alike, these independent bookstores are more than just retail locations—they’re community spaces where people and ideas come to meet. What are some of your favourite independent bookstores and why? Do you think they’ll be able to survive the coming years?
