What a lovely little slice of Canadiana lit heaven!…read more Ansari Press has their own little shop attached to their office filled with their wonderful books and Great White North goodness. The walls are lined with prestigious awards won by their authors, and their children's selection is incredibly impressive. If you're a geek like me, you're gonna have a nice time popping into House of Anansi.

It's been three years since I was back home in Toronto and one thing my wife really wanted to do…read morewas hit up this new horror book store, Little Ghosts! After walking way too many hours, we figured we would end our daily shopping with a high note and grab some books. This store is exactly what we wanted it to be, from the moment you walk in you are surrounded by thousands of horror books, shirts, and even coffee if you want some. My personal favourite things about this store were the Goosebumps books (which I was able to snag four towards my complete collection) as well as the area near the cash register with books they published. We currently live in LA and figured it would be way cooler to get stuff put out by Little Ghosts then horror books we can easily acquire elsewhere so we picked up copies of Student Bodies, Modern Folklore, Your Flight Has Been Cancelled, Little Guts, and It Looks Like Dad. The coolest part of our visit, was after we paid the gentleman working behind the counter just so happen to be the author of It Looks Like Dad so he signed the book for us right on the spot, how cool is that? Overall, Little Ghosts is one of the coolest book stores I've ever been too and it'll absolutely be on my "must" list every time I return to Toronto in the future. The store looks wonderful, the owner we met was super friendly, and you really can't beat a selection of books that might make you cry. Come check this place out!

A very nice bookstore that is a valued addition to Toronto's Indy community. They host…read moreinformational and promotional events and have a variety of non book items available (but not as bad as Chapters). Give them a visit when you're in the neighborhood.

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

Came here to sign some books and didn't know how big this store was in Oshawa, the staff is super…read morefriendly and love the setup. Will definitely come back!

The last time I was at Oshawa Centre, it was at least a good decade ago. This store used to be a…read moreChapters. Instead, it is a revamped Indigo. I shouldn't stay away for that long! I was here to meet a dear friend. Our midpoint is Oshawa. I suggested that we meet here. She had a gift card to use. I just love books and gift items. The magazine section is massive. There is so much selection that I barely got through reading half the magazine titles. I love the cookbooks. I want them all! From keto to vegan, there's something for you. I still don't understand the need to wear reading socks. You can buy those here, too. My friend did manage to buy something. We waited in line a bit before she got to pay. All was well. There were plenty of Christmas items on sale. They were at least 30% off the regular price. Although it was busy on a Saturday, I can see it being a good place to unwind and read. It has a built-in Starbucks. Surprisingly, I did not go in. I will next time. Parking is crazy by this bookstore. However, it's not impossible to get a decent parking spot. You just need some patience. (13)

Great place to buy and sell records. Prices are fair and reasonable. Great selection, too!read more

Came by on a wandering walk and boy, am I glad that I did!…read more Zoinks is one of those perfect neighbourhood bookstores. Well loved, broken in, never leaving. There's a great selection of well taken care of books for an affordable cost. Peep the opening jacket to see the price drawn on in pencil. I walked away with two awesome books for the price of one. First, Drunk Mom by Jowita Bydlowska and secondly, The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall. Just a ways away is Christie Pitts Park, meaning you can buy a book, grab some Tacos Al Asador and read and in eat in the calm of The Pitts. The music selection is a little smaller and the shop feels mostly AAB (all about books), but you'll no doubt be able to find something to love.

A wild new cozy neighbourhood bookstore appears! Queen Books evokes vibes of dingy old…read morestuffed-with-character independent bookstores people write about and romanticize, but without the dust and clutter and grumpy old shopkeeper. Grumpy is this place not! Adorable with personality, this bookstore is one where you can certainly get lost in buried all day in books and gifts. Much of their offerings is curated by their team of personable staff, including some of the latest novels and books covering current affairs. Cookbooks and art books lay claim to one corner of the front, and the entire back is all for children with an absurdly large selection of children's books and goodies and space for you to hang out with your kid in a safe space.

Queen Books is one of a few local run bookstores in the city. It offers nice and clean environment…read morewith good selections. The vibe is not those big-box chain bookstores can give you. Staff is friendly. There is a nice children books area at the store back where you can stay sit comfortably to read a book with your child. They run some book club reward system that you can join. I bought a book from there for a child's present and also to support the local small business.

Hands down -- best bookshop in Toronto…read more First, it's in a cool area of town, the heart of Little Italy. Second, the generous selection of second-hand books is thoughtfully curated by owner Peter Sellers (yes, the other Peter Sellers) and you're sure to find yourself an intriguing book -- or two, or three -- in this intimate, charming space. Third, LIVE MUSIC. Yes! Sellers & Newel is a hidden gem for live music. And seeing a show here is pure magic. Grab yourself a seat and marvel at the amazing jazz and folk musicians (and other artists) who perform here on weekends and weeknights, in front of that beautiful backdrop of bookshelves. Seriously, how cool is that?

It's always a pleasure to shop here. Staff are cheerful and efficient, and everything feels…read moresanitized and fresh. I love how the store is laid out it's clean, organized, and easy to navigate. Truly a 5-star experience.

Tip: When you place an online order, you have the option of having it shipped to you or picking it…read moreup at the store. I have been following Pop Music on Instagram for a while. I'm not sure whether this business followed me first, but I am a fan of local record stores. This one is on Broadview Avenue, just south of Gerrard Street East. This store sells records (the kids these days call 'em vinyl) and t-shirts. I like both, but it would take a special purchase for me to visit this store. That moment happened. I saw this business recently go through fixing its flooring. I was finally going to see and step foot on it! To make a long story shorter, Pet Shop Boys (PSB) sent out an e-mail stating that it has re-released its Discography album that covers all singles between 1985 through 1991, inclusive. This release is special because the two records are transparent blue in colour. Fans could order this album out of the UK. I recently ordered Literally, PSB's yearly book about the duo's reflections and experiences. That book shipped from London and I still ended up with a dented book corner on a hard book cover. I had little faith having a two-record album shipped safely from London to the greater Toronto area. I dismissed ordering it. I was late to the party (the usual) when I saw Pop Music's IG post stating that it had limited copies of this PSB album. I checked its online site and all copies were gone. However, I could sign up to get notified when the album was back in stock. I signed up. A few days later, I got word that the album was available for purchase. I was elated. I immediately ordered the album and paid online. I chose to pick it up at the store, as I was due to revisit Chinatown east. Last Saturday, after fetching groceries, I headed down to Chinatown. I found a tight parking spot on Broadview, across from this store. It took me a bit of time to squeeze my car into this spot by carefully parallel parking without annoying vehicles and streetcars passing by. I did it. I paid for twenty minutes of parking. I felt that it was enough time to browse and fetch my order, and perhaps hit a bakery. I paid through the Green P app. I jaywalked and entered the store. It had a good crowd of eight customers. A female staffer perhaps thirty feet away from me made the deliberate effort to say hi to me and establish friendly eye contact. I reciprocated. I loved being here already. I was in front of graphic t-shirts of bands and artists. I was thrilled to see Depeche Mode's Violator t-shirt screaming my name. It's one of my favourite DM records, with Enjoy the Silence being my favourite song on it. Sizes ranged between small and XXL. I was happy and got one in my size. It was great browsing. The assortment of music genres, all in record form, was impressive. I loved seeing a Prince cap. It was his heavenly birthday when I was in this store. I also liked seeing David Bowie socks and a lot more. I waited in line. When it was my turn, I showed my order number on my phone and broke the ice with the nice woman with this comment: "I'm here to pick up an online order. I then saw this t-shirt, so I'm buying it, too." She smiled and then laughed. She found my order in the system and went to fetch my PSB album. I learned ordering online that I was signed up for reward points. You get a point for every $1 spent. You get a discount off your future purchase depending on how many points you have. What was cool was that my album dropped in price by $5 after I had made my purchase online. She was going to honour that price by giving me $5 off my t-shirt. Yay! I earned reward points on my t-shirt. I paid with a credit card. I tapped and was good. She asked if I needed a bag. I declined, as I was parked across the street, and was fine carrying my precious limited edition album with my t-shirt. I wished her a great day and happily left with my goodies. I have this PSB album on CD. It's nice that I have the translucent blue vinyl edition, too. I played both records at home. The quality was excellent. The blue vinyl is cheerful and striking. I had a chat with the person behind the Pop Vinyl IG account later that evening. They were playing this album in the store. It shows how passionate they are about music and their products. I also like that they interact with their customers. I love my Violator t-shirt. It's comfy and perfect. I bought two items from a duo and band that were popular at roughly the same time. Both British. Both into synthesizers. Both having music endure over the decades. They are awesome, as is this store and the fine records and merchandise that it offers. I'm a fan. I'll be back for more. (198)

Slam Dunk the store rocks. Great new vinyl us the coolest T's this side of the UK and other awesome…read moremerch. Stellar staff. Coming back for more..