THIS IS AMAZING!!! this was the first two story Cole's ive been to and I will come again every time…read moreI go to Toronto

This is a bigger location but it's not well organized. Service isn't that good, although I did…read morevisit during the holiday season so it was slightly busy. The sales person was able to help me find the item I was looking for, but she wasn't very friendly.

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 love this place! It definitely is a hidden gem that a coworker told me about. First of, it's not…read moreas big as an indigo bookstore however it is a better location to get school textbooks, workbooks and other novels, etc. I come here quite often for resources (it has a great variety for French materials). Lastly, the staff members are absolutely friendly and very helpful! This is definitely a happy spot for any learners/educators!

I am a school Principal in Markham. I have been buying text books since 2003 and the service at…read moreBantner's is exceptional. Please visit and you will see.

This store is a model of what a bookstore should be. Every shelf was dusted, floors were clean, and…read morethe staff were all incredibly helpful. I stayed over an hour just enjoying the calm, spotless environment.

This bookstore has a very welcoming energy. The employees are approachable and genuinely care about…read moreyour needs. The entire place is well-lit, dust-free, and smells fresh. It's obvious they prioritize hygiene just as much as customer service.

Great place with low prices for books. I don't remember getting a good buying rate for the books I…read morebrought in eons ago, but I appreciate that I could pick up some cheap books for my kids!

My favourite place in the city. Every time I go in I leave happy! The prices are unbeatable and the…read moreselection is incredible. They don't always have what you go in looking for but you'll always find something you'll end up wanting.

The products are good, and have values ​​all you will know. and we can even teach the young and the…read moreuninitiated, from what we can learn from the products here

A great selection of books, with all the latest titles plus perennial favourites. Magazine…read moreselection is also excellent. The staff are book lovers too.

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!

I love all the Toronto Public Library locations -- each one has its charm, but the North York…read moreCentral Library stands out with Book Ends North, run by volunteers. They are so friendly and chatty. The store is tucked away in the basement, away from the main libary, near Fit4Less. Where else can you find books starting at just 50 cents? Most are $2 or less, though a few special finds (hardcover, colour-illustrated, highly popular titles) might go for $5-8. Still an amazing deal! The inventory changes regularly, so frequent visits are key if you're on the hunt for hidden gems.

I really loved this book store it is amazing, the staff was also extremely knowledgeable about…read moretheir books and they found exactly what I needed.

The star of the show here is Mabel the cat who sits perched on the counter peering at the…read morecustomers! They have a wide selection of children's books that are unique - I got one about Audrey Hepburn, which has gorgeous illustrations! They also have a wide selection of books for their parents! They are very helpful if you need a recommendation and do gift wrapping. This shop reminds me of the children's book store owned by Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail -- so charming!

I'm pretty well-versed in Toronto's used bookstores from Spadina westward, and I got to tell you,…read moreif 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!

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