I'm pretty well-versed in Toronto's used bookstores from Spadina westward, and I got to tell you, if you're looking for a operated by two grumpy old white men who feel at ease with making inappropriate judgements about your book selection, then this is the place for you. I was looking for Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" and the stockier gentleman responded "they run out quickly, guess suicidal and mediocre has become in fashion again." This wasn't the only thing I noticed. I was curious about the name "Balfour," and it only occurred to me from the various Israel-themed content in the bookstore that it's most likely commemorative of Arthur Balfour, the British administrator of post-Ottoman Palestine who promised a Jewish state for Zionist Jews in the UK (see "Balfour Declaration, 1917). For a used bookstore that I've been frequenting for at least 8 years now since I've moved to this city, their selection has been consistently in desperate need for non-white authors, especially in their social sciences, religious studies, philosophy, plays, and art sections. The prices, sure, can be low, sometimes lower than other bookstores (especially the smaller, vintage-looking paperbacks at the front), but they've increased over time. $25 dollars for a Foucault book? Come on now! Moral of the story is: if you're a bookworm with a shred of an ethical compass, I implore you to avoid this bookstore at any costs. Don't let the price or the antiquarian section deceive you, Toronto is a reader-heavy city with many competing bookstores that you can visit and indulge your imagination in! read more

Super warm and wonderful staff! Love this place, will definitely be coming back again many times!

A long time fixture of College St, Balfour Books is a used book shop that, in usual fashion, is bursting at the seams. Using Scrabble letters to identify the different shelves (brilliant,) there's a good chance you'll find what you're looking for, assuming you can actually find it. The store itself feels a bit disorganized, but only in certain parts. For example, the 'literature' section is properly set up with an alpha by author organization, but my beef with this is that I'm never quite sure what constitutes 'literature.' You'll find certain classics on small shelves throughout, but you actually have to look through each individual shelf to find anything that's not on the top, making it a difficult and often discouraging process. One thing I've always liked about this store is its art and art history section. They've got a plethora of books on these subjects and you can easily get lost in the books (in a good way) by simply browsing. read more

Not a bad used bookstore. Some interesting titles to be found although the prices seemed to be $10 and up. A bit difficult to move around with many books and sundry other items on the floor blocking the lower shelves. A good addition to the used bookstore scene in Toronto, good but not quite great. read more

Lovely shop with really nice staff. They were very helpful when I was looking for a gift for a friend. Will definitely be returning!

Great book store. I love the racks with pocket sized paperbacks. You can always find something interesting in them. The philosophy section seems to be dwindling though. Sorry to hear about the dog. It was always nice seeing it in there. read more

I agree with those finding the place a little crowded, and sometimes tough to navigate. I'll admit that my constantly working at "new" bookstores for the past 8 years leaves me with little reason to frequent used ones (since i usually get my books for the same price or cheaper). I already have more books than the time to read them, but browsing a store like this is always fun. Anyway, Balfour is a great choice to feed this particular habit . It looks the way you (or I) want a used bookstore to look- yes, I too *love* the scrabble-letter signs, and the inside is bright and cozy. It's also in a smart location, being in a pretty bookstore-less neighbourhood. My last visit found me rushing in (in a snowstorm, no less) to find a copy of Brideshead Revisited for a secret Santa gift. As I said, rushing does not really work at a place like this, and I was taught my lesson by leaving empty-handed. The lady who worked there (deeply engrossed in her own reading, which I happen to like in a bookseller) knew right away that they were (probably) lacking a copy, which they were, and which I gotta give her props for (knowing, and all). read more

Perhaps five stars is excessive for this modest bookstore, but I thoroughly enjoyed browsing here and found it to be sort of perfect for what it is. It's small, with a touch of chaos (a lot of piles of books) but not too much -- it basically feels ordered -- and the more you browse, the more you realize that the collection is very well selected. It's not huge but it contains very little crap and generally very high quality. There are quite a lot of old/collectible editions too if you're into that kind of thing -- I was tempted by some old 60s Penguins. In the end I walked out with a cool old edition of Jessica Mitford's *A Fine Old Conflict* and a Penguin edition of Pierre Boulle's *Planet of the Apes.* Prices are reasonable. The Scrabble letters used to mark different sections are a great touch. (Their free bookmarks are really pretty, too.) read more

I was here just about 12:30 today while shopping in the area to pick up a book and grab a nice quiet lunch somewhere ( I dont like eating alone unless I have a book handy) And to my disappointment they were closed still ! I knocked on the window and no one was around. So the selection looked good from the window but unfortunately thats all I can offer for now ! read more

balfour seems to be a bit of an institution in toronto. it has been around for a long time and it carries with it a certain venerable elegance. in large, slightly bulbous gold letters atop a dark green backdrop sits its name. beneath it, behind the storefront windows, lolling about without ego are a brethren and sisterhood of books on art, novels, cooking, politics and so forth. when i arrived one of the middle aged owners seemed to be pressuring his female counterpoint to get a coffee, or perhaps it was a bagel. i was looking generally and looking for classics. surprisingly, there was a no show on the great gatsby. but there were recent finds like margaret atwoods new book on debt for a good price. i didnt find it hard to stroll through this place at all and like all other used book shops they are overflowing with books, but the owners are veritable encyclopedias of their stock. in fact i think it might have bothered her a little more than me that she couldnt find the fitzgerald, because she knew she had it...somewhere...around....it was just here... i think this is a great bookstore that keeps intense collections of classics, new books and it takes much care in its display and knowledge of its stock. read more

I spent my life in 2nd hand bookstores (even skipped school to go down to Bank Street in Ottawa for the bookstores). When I came to Toronto 25 years ago, this city was a mecca of 2nd hand bookstores. And then Chapters, Indigo and Amazon rolled in and devastated the landscape. Thank you to Balfour Books for still being here. For persisting through these hard times and giving us the choice to peruse aisles laden with the love of literature. [T][H][A][N][K] [Y][O][U] read more

Loved finding this bookstore while traveling with my husband in Toronto. My husband is an artist and was able to find several books that bookstores in the states just don't carry. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly - if we ever find ourselves in Toronto again, I guarantee we will be back in this store! read more

This store is clearly for the literary, the erudite, etc etc. I loved it and thought it had a wonderful selection. Not a big selection, but all good authors. There are no "guilty pleasure" novels here. It's cozy and better organized than many used bookstores I've been to and I got a new Kosinski novel for $3. read more