The staff here are both friendly and knowledgeable. Often can be seen rocking out to music. Very…read moreupbeat atmosphere and VERY broad range of genres in terms of books, many of them covering subject matter you may have a hard time locating in retail chains such as Indigo and even other popular second hand stores. Many titles are remainders and come in near mint condition - some of the art books are still mint, still wrapped. Sells 1st editions - vinyl, books, has a decently sized rare book section.

An excellent used bookshop. A regular cycling of offerings, you can find real bargains and rarities…read morehere. It's in my work neighbourhood so it's always worth a stroll over. As with most shops, it's staffed by a single cashier, so you might have to wait a minute OSR the shop is busy. If you're looking for a piece of physical media, though, this place is a gem.

Review is for the online store not the physical location. Olivia, who runs the online store was…read morekind, quick, and responded to all of my inquires in a timely manner! She was able to help me with an inquiry and went above and beyond! Thank you Olivia!!!! Even the staff at the store when I called were friendly and warm! Hope to actually visit in person next time I'm in Canada!

Has such a fantastic selection of books and other things that I feel you wouldn't be able to…read morediscover if you went to a normal book retailer, plus the space is so inviting and makes you want to stay in there forever

This is a Yelp find. The man working here is amazing. So helpful…read more We wandered in with an extensive reading list for an AP course that my teenager is taking. The teacher did not provide any of the author's names. The kindly proprietor listened to the name of the book, then he rhymes off the author and looked together with us in the right place in this adorable crammed to the brim shop. We found most of what we wanted at a fraction of the cost of new. Some of the books were adorably aged. We will definitely return at a later date. Amazing service, great shop.

Does the phase "a hole in the wall" apply to used bookstores? If so, Alfsen is one. It is cramped…read morewith paperbacks. It is great if you are looking for some popular old novels, like a whole series of Stephen King books, or Black Daggers Brotherhood. I bought a few paperback at $4 each. I am told they will take your used books and give credits. They only accept paperback as hardcover takes up too much space. I can understand that. I plan to bypass hardcover novels from now on, so my collection has resale value.

A super cute rare book store. The selection was limited but well curated and nothing was…read moreoverpriced. The clerk was friendly but in no way intrusive. Try your luck with the random book vending machine!

We found her way to The Monkey's Paw from a list of unique and unusual Toronto sites. That list…read morespecifically mentioned the book vending machine which I had to try, but as an avid reader and book-collector ("antiquarian" if you're fancy) I was equally interested in simply perusing the store as a whole. The book vending machine-- as of March 2025, for a $5 CAD bill (or credit card), you get a token for the machine which randomly drops a vintage book. I received a hard-cover vintage mystery novel nicely wrapped in a mylar book protective jacket (and a price tag indicating this one was $19.99 at one point). Pretty cool book, pretty recommended experience overall. As to the store itself--friendly proprietor and generally nice layout. But try as I might, I could not find a book to spend my money on. I was intent on purchasing something, and open to splurging a bit. But the closest I came was a 3rd or 4th edition hardcover of Daphne De Maurier's "Don't Look Now" novel printed in the 1970s. I love her work and have many of her books, but not this one which may be her most famous due to the Donald Sutherland film adaptation. However, for $35...I just couldn't quite do it. If it were a first edition, most certainly. If it were $20 for a 4th edition, quite possibly. There were some cool vintage sci-fi paperbacks (Heinlein, Herbert, Aasimov, etc.) that were probably priced in line with the market. But much of the stock reminded me of how "curating" a collection can present items as more valuable than they are. Is a gardening book from the 1950s in VF condition worth $40? Or a map cut out of an old National Geographic matted on cardstock worth $20? I really like the idea of this store and wish them the best because book stores are the coolest places on earth. I just felt everything was about 25% higher than it was likely worth. I would have splurged had I come across a great old edition of a favorite novel, though. Sounds like stock changes regularly and they are set up to encourage perusing, finding something you didn't know you were looking for. Wish them continued success and giving them a solid "3" (which in my book is "good"). Definitely recommend the vending machine!

Discovered this super cute fantasy and sci-fi bookstore on Harbord St. The moment I walked in the…read morestaff were super great and helped me find a book I was looking for. The store itself was just amazing, dorky, magical vibes all around. What I really loved was the fact that one of the store workers or owner would make little mini reviews and stick it on the shelves near the book. They were so enjoyable to read and gave me some good recommendations for books. They also have $5 mystery book bags in the back. I definitely just love the fact that this is a bookstore dedicated to fantasy and sci-fi and you can tell that the owners genuinely love reading these kinds of books. It also looks like they host lots of book related events for the community.

A store? Where you buy books? What a novel concept!…read more If you're a fan of Fantasy and SF, you've probably heard of Bakka. It's the oldest surviving specialty bookstore of its kind in North America, and even though it has moved fairly regularly over the past decade (it's about to move to its fourth location, but hopefully this is for good) it's carried that history with it. You can find a great selection of books there, both prose and graphic novels, as well as a selection of used books and magazines. They carry both origina works as well as large selections of media tie in novels. The staff there are acutely aware of what is published, and if you can tell them what you enjoyed they'll be able to point you at something else that'll be to your liking. Plus, many books have notecards explaining what they're about and what readers will find appealing about them.m If you have any interest in sf books, you owe it to yourself to go here.

Phenomenal selection and pricing! Books in excellent condition! This is a dream store for readers -…read morealmost wish I had bought more but I do use the library most often.

I am so lucky that you are still there, a treasure trove of affordable, good REAL books !!read more

I've visited a few times for the collection of LEGO minifigures... very awesome collection, and…read morevery friendly! Chatted with me about various things. Would absolutely go back and buy more!

You know what makes a good little book store? Selection and a great staff and those are two things…read moreDoug Miller books just so happens to have. My wife and I wandered into this store yesterday afternoon while taking a walk down Bloor. This store is PACKED from the front to the back and while that might overwhelm some people, I absolutely love being surrounded by thousands of books and the smell that comes with that. I spent a good thirty minutes digging through horror, Canadian history, poetry, and everything else before finally landing on something to read on the flight back home. The gentleman working was also great and definitely the kind of person I want to interact with while book shopping (I also support anyone going to see Napalm Death and Primitive Man). Overall, Doug Miller books is a must stop for any reader out book hunting. The selection was fantastic, the store was cozy, and the staff was fantastic. I'll definitely be back in the future!

Felix to Oscar (Dencan Books) next door, The Book Exchange is an organized and quaint little used…read morebook store. It's collection may be small, but the quality is definitely there, offering gently used books, rare books (mostly hardcover) and even a few remainder and new books in various titles, both popular and unexpected. It also holds good hours, open late (9pm) Tuesday to Friday, catering to those who can't get to these little shops during the day.

The Book Exchange is a nice used book store in the upper end of the Junction near the new Tim…read moreHorton's. It is next door to a completely cluttered used book shop. While both are polar opposites on many levels, they both have lots of used books and helpful owners. The Book Exchange is extremely semective about the books they buy and sell. You will see a good selection of histories, biographies, fiction, and children's titles as well. The owner is knowledgeable about his selection and eager to help you find what you are looking for. Once you visit here, go next door for an exercise in personality contrasts.