So deceptive from the outside. Before walking in, I assumed the interior would be as unassuming As…read morethe outside! I was clearly very wrong. Beautiful build in bookcases and shelves. Really engaging and helpful staff, many nook to bury your Nose in silence! We came and spent about 1.5 hours just being at peace with the stillness this place has to offer!

How do they do it?! Do the literary hounds of SSI simply have better taste then most? And take…read morebetter, much more gentle care of their books? Does the gulf island air make them give up their mint condition hard copies freely? Whatever Black Sheep Books is putting in the water - continue on, continue on. My guess is there is more then SSI generosity in the mix but that doesn't change the fact that this is perhaps my favorite used book store. Period. Why? Well first off, their staff picks section is a gold mine. Seriously. Every time I poke my head in the door I could easily take the entire four shelves of staff picks happily home with me. Second - they are organizational wizards. Their expansive fiction section is alphabetized to perfection, poetry is broken down by region, photography by subject, hobbies by... well hobbies. This two story building is a prime example of the right way to use a label maker. Thirdly - they have an excellent eye for rare and eccentric oldies. I will be honest, I am not the most astute when it comes to limited edition novellas but the section front and centre when you walk through the door boasts everything from full edition encyclopedias, to hard cover, leather bound copies of Gatsby, and on occasion, 50's smut... hellooo peek of a garter! Behave you! It's a playground of eye candy and definitely worth the shuffle through. Lastly, the prices are fantastic. Sure, the aren't the rock bottom prices you can find at some used book haunts but for the quality and condition of the books, it can't be beat - a hard copy version of the complete Maus series? $20. Most novels - big or small - $6-8. Plus, if there's something specific you seek they are absolutely excellent with making note and calling you... even if you happen to live in a completely different city. This place is aces. Book worms take note and pop in when you run away to the island...

Always friendly staff with a good selection of books in the store, and they will gladly order in…read moreanything you may want. Their prices are good, especially for an independent bookstore, and their loyalty program even helps with that. The store itself is cozy without being too cluttered, and there is always something new to see. The website is also very useful and well-done, and ordering books through it is easy. This is a great local store, and I'm happy to support it!

I shop here pretty frequently, and I have to say that the staff at Volume One are pretty great…read more It's clear that they've been working together for a long time and they work well together. If the shop is out of stock of something I want they can order it in from the mainland in a few days, and they always call to let me know as soon as my order is in. They have a large selection of kids books, so I love bringing my littles in and watching their eyes light up.

A cozy little bookstore to browse around leisurely on a cold morning. Staff was very friendly &…read morehelpful. Introduced me to a small Vermont local artist named Beth Mueller, super cute!

Amazing books and staff, with a drop-in book club, espresso bar, fine art prints, and baked goods!…read moreAn old fashioned jewel.

Great place lady that works there was very helpful and i was able to find what i was looking for…read moreand they also give you free hand made bagds

This is a book lovers dream store. There are stacks of books of every genre. The owner is…read moreincredibly knowledgeable and helpful. He easily connects with customers, helping people find what they need. If I lived closer, I'd be here weekly!

Lots to look at in this cozy bookstore and cafe in Friday Harbor. Decent selection of books,…read morepuzzles, games, and souvenirs. Found a great adult coloring book here! Everything is neatly organized and clean. Staff was friendly as well. Will be visiting again next time we are on the island!

What a lovely bookstore! Everything was organized with signage so it was easy to find what you're…read morelooking for. They have a great little nook of children's book with stuffies of popular characters. In the back, there is a little cafe that sold coffee, tea and pastries. I thought it was sweet how when you purchase a book, they give you a complimentary bookmark with the store name and logo. The bookmark is good quality with some thickness.

This is a tiny bookstore with a warm heart. The choices are limited, nonetheless they made the…read moreright choices. I saw many books I wanted to buy ( too many to fit into my bag). The staff are wonderful. You get the community feel here. In a town like this with so many tourists it is a vital to balance community and the tourist trade. They succeed and work out the alchemy of both without losing their identity.

On an island so small, it's pretty darn impressive that they have two excellent bookstores right in…read morethe heart of Ganges. Unlike it's pre-owned counterpart, Salt Spring Books is all new novels. They have an eclectic selection with a great emphasis on Canadian writers and a really fun kids section if you have little ones (or want to be the "cool" but still educational Aunt). But perhaps my favourite part of this place is that they mix literary themed gifts in with the novels & picture books. Last time I was in, a dragon puppets from Puff The Magic Dragon was tugging on my nostalgic heart strings so strongly, I'm amazed I walked out empty handed. Bookworm or not, this place is well worth poking your head through the door while exploring the island.

Sea & Summit is one of the loveliest bookstores I've ever visited. It's beautiful and wonderfully…read moreorganized while everything within the store is perfectly curated. The selection of books is interesting and diverse and is complemented by a wide range of bookish gifts and accessories. This is a great destination whether you're looking for a new book or a present for a loved one.

In my opinion, this is the best bookstore on central Vancouver Island. Excellent customer service…read moreand an impressive inventory. Also, their website is well constructed and easy to navigate, which makes it easy to check their inventory or order books online.

Where there are hordes of Chinos, there is bound to be at least one SUP Bookstore. What may seem a…read morebit confusing at first, SUP (#1) is no question/greeting, but rather the abbreviation for Sino United Publish (#2). In Chinese, its "San Lian Shu Dian" or "Sam Leen Shu Deem" but if you didn't already know that, its likely the book selection isn't for you. I note this because virtually all of their books are published in Chinese. Lots of materials that were never given an English Cliff Notes version (aka Chinese Literature) will be on full display here. Whether its a New York Times Best Seller translated into Chinese or a How To book on anything, it's going to be available here. What do you do when you're not exactly Chinese literate? First of all, you'd probably have to figure out why you're there. Are you learning Chinese? Buying a gift for someone who does? Best ask an associate for some recommendations for a good read. And yes, ask one who speaks a reasonably good amount of English. The service has been good here, the crowds rarely flock here (#3) and the prices seem fair though a non-bookworm (aka me) has a hard time parting ways for any hardcover book for $50 unless its limited edition or includes an entire volume set. Audio books, here I come. _________ (#1) Personally, I like "Sup Bookstore(?)" much better. (#2) Publish..ers. Sometimes we like keep things shorter. I mean short. (#3) Does anyone read anymore?

This place has a fairly good selection of books of the Asian origin if you know your language well…read more This is one of the few bookstores I've found outside of Asia that carries a lot of text-based book series versus manga or comic type books and they also carry a lot of informational books or reference type books in Asian languages that you wouldn't find, say at Kinokuniya. I am surprised by this because this is pretty rare for an Asian bookstore which would usually consist of a lot of Asia culture type items like toys and stuffed animals as well as little trinklets here and there. Now onto the re-learning of Chinese ...