Vancouver’s best bookstores, mapped out – Scout Magazine

No matter what time of year, there are few hobbies more satisfying or more indulgent than reading. However, now that the rainy season in Vancouver has set in, we eagerly await the excuse for a guilt-free isolation time spent grabbing our (it’s long) reading list and slipping into the company. comforting and fragrant books, books, books!

Once again, we’ve compiled our list of local bookstores – and some low-key no-bookstore “bookstores” – that we suggest to fill your personal library with fiction, no and all….

Readers and collectors will always find something on the crowded shelves of this unpretentious but carefully stocked second-hand bookstore (a few records too).

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Banyen is more than a bookstore. It is also a wellness center, a 4th cornerstone of the West and a time portal to the hippy heyday of Kitsilano. The 50-year-old neighborhood institution is a one-stop-shop for all of your self-awareness and healing needs, from prints to ritual tools like crystals, beads, chimes, incense and more.

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Canterbury Tales sells new and used books on The Drive. The always welcoming staff are well read and knowledgeable. Recognizing (and celebrating) that their community is made up of an eclectic cross-section of readers, the Canterbury Tales team works hard to find the perfect book for their customers.

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This local, independent bookstore offers a selection of new books in a wide range of fields including art, photography, fiction, memoir, biography, travel, psychology, history, cookbooks and gardening.

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A first-rate resource for every step of the reading journey with children. From drool-proof books and classic bedtime stories to graphic novels, chapter books and puzzles, this place has it all for parents.

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In operation since 1985, Kestrel offers a large selection of used, rare and out of print books in a multitude of fields. As they say, “From Archie comics to medieval manuscripts, there is a collector’s field to suit all budgets and ages.”

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This West End institution is the place for sexy publications and accessories for the whole rainbow of readers and their pleasures. Unquestionably a vital member of the Vancouver community, you can meet your needs by sourcing them from their prime location on Davie Street.

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This perky little Main Street store isn’t your typical comic book store. Lucky’s is the place to go for local independent graphic novels and comic book artists, as well as a small collection of non-fiction and children’s books. A visit here is always a colorful experience!

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Well known for her role in the 1984 fantasy film, The NeverEnding Story, this legendary icon embodies the second-hand bookstore experience: think shelves overflowing with vintage and pre-loved titles, full of character and a dense aroma of beloved old paper.

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A business owned entirely by women and natives, this Chinatown bookstore is a big supporter of underrepresented authors and independent press publications, as well as artists from the local community. The newly relocated gallery space of the Massy Arts Society (formerly on the retail store floor, now at 23 Pender St.) regularly hosts poetry readings, book launches and discussions.

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Sniff this cute little nook of books when you’re looking for something special. Co-owned by Kim Koch and Rob Clarke, the Paper Hound bookstore launched at its current location on Pender Street in 2013. (We got into this immediately after the whippet mark was painted on the upholstered windows, and it continues. being our one of downtown Vancouver’s favorite places for new, used and rare books.) Used book shelves are organized in nifty niches and the new book selection includes publishers hard to find.

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Now, with more than two decades of book activity behind them since opening their flagship product on Main Street, Pulp Fiction’s three current locations (Mount Pleasant, Kitsilano, and Commercial Drive) are home to tens of thousands of titles, including including a well-thought-out library of new books and shelves of used volumes which are constantly being picked up and added (remember to navigate the piles of incoming books and sort if you want to avoid a disastrous Jenga type incident). If you spot something in the window that you must have, don’t wait to tear it off!

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Vancouver’s long-standing resource for mental health books covers the full spectrum of issues and includes everything from illustrated children’s books to educational texts and memoirs. Odin’s spacious Broadway location opened half a block east of the major Main Street intersection in 2019.

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A cutting-edge art and design bookstore located in the Libby Leshgold Gallery at Emily Carr University. It’s a place to get lost and get inspired.

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Although they moved to Commercial Drive in 2014, Spartacus has been the East Vancouver headquarters for socially conscious and progressive publications since the early 1970s. The non-profit organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, has also historically been the place for alternative activist activities, including letter writing in prison, accordion circles and other meetings for radical minds.

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Not bookstores

For skate-related publications, ranging from illustrated children’s books to chunky tabletop books and fanzines, look no further than Main Street’s Antisocial Skateboard Shop. Trust the people who live and breathe skateboarding to get only the best of what’s available.

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Although freshly opened in early November 2021, the selection of books and magazines at Mucker Next Door (Dachi’s new business expansion) looks very promising – and enticing! Think edgy, cult food magazines and other must read food and wine readings.

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You may have realized it, but 51 Powell Street – aka the third and newest ‘Objects’ oriented retail space in Neighbor’s Gastown’s winning trifecta – is also home to a small, narrow ‘Print’ section. Think stylish, cutting-edge, high-quality, and highly-organized art and design books, international magazines and vintage publications, as well as Neighbor Book Club titles recommended by an impressive circle of friends artists, writers and artists. designers of the store.

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Mount Pleasant’s go-to store for art, film, fashion and design publications including impressive coffee table tomes, special editions, travel guides, magazines and quintessential publications related to Vancouver.