This bookstore is what dreams are made of…read more Serendipity books on San Juan Island is hands down my favorite bookstore. Not only does it have small town flare, but it also has the largest assortment of used books that I've personally seen. The store sits inside a small house on the main strip of San Juan Island. It looks tiny from the outside, but, oh wow, does it hold entire worlds inside. There's a multitude of rooms all themed after each genre. You'll find everything from cookbooks, history, fantasy, young adult, sci-fi, history, fiction, self help, and autobiographies. Like other reviewers have mentioned you might have to do a bit of digging, as most of the books are stacked since they do not have the space on the shelves. Something else to note is that they do not allow food and drink inside, but they do have the cutest fireplace for you to place your hot coffee or tea on to keep it warm. Highly recommend checking out this spot when you're on San Juan Island, and be sure to stop by next-door to pick up a homie style lunch.

Wow! I'm glad I stumbled upon this cute book shop - serendipity, indeed! I did find a lot of…read moredifferent genres, so it's worth exploring. Personally, I was looking for the science fiction / fantasy section, and yep, I found one of interest! It was perfect. Others were stopping by and were couples. Unfortunately due to scheduled travel times, I could not spend unmarked amounts of time getting lost and wandering amongst the tomes. I will have to stumble my way back sometime in the future!

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...

Lovely place to pop in, quite popular when we visited but the wait was not too long and the staff…read morewere friendly and quick. Coffee was tasty and reasonably priced. Plenty of seating options, and a whole wall of books to read. We didn't stay very long but it was pretty cozy, i recommend this as a place to visit when in the area

This coffee shop was the highlight of our recent trip to Chemainus. The owner and her right hand…read morewere so friendly and personable that they added to our experience. We had the iced Americano and a muffin and we would go back for both everyday if we could. I wish I could try all the baked goods as I am sure they are all equally delicious. They are made from ingredients from the owners farm so are super fresh. But alas we are from Phoenix, Arizona so it will be a year before we can return. If you are nearby do stop by! You will not be disappointed, I can assure you! The books, produce and lovely flowers for sale were an added bonus.

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

A remarkable bookstore with an incredible selection of books, including many rare collectible, and…read morehistorical editions you'd only expect to see at specialty book fairs. It's a wonderful place to browse whether you are a causal reader or a collector. If I ever win the lottery, there will be signs. Some of these books are coming home with me.

Located in downtown Victoria with an unassuming exterior. Great selection of books; the interior is…read morelarger than it looks and has an escalator! The collection of vintage books there is impressive to say the least.

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!

Darvill's Book Store was our fourth and final stop while in Eastsound (9/16/26). This indie…read morebookstore has been in business since 1975, but has been renovated and under new ownership since 2020. Welcoming staff onsite. It is well arranged and curated based on subject. Nice variety of other retail items like art prints, cards, items of culinary interest, whimsical stuffies, stickers, totes, sunglasses, journals, etc. Definitely gaze from the windows in the children's titles area - gorgeous beachfront view! There's also an onsite cafe with a few two tops and a seating area. Highly recommended visit!

After lunch we were exploring Eastsound and stopped at Darvill's for some tea. Along with tea we…read morealso got a Sea salt double chocolate cookie. The cookie was amazing, we loved it. The view of the bay from the back of the store is amazing. I loved the book store, they have an excellent collection of books and the service was cheerful and helpful. Highly recommend the book store.

Great store! I was visiting Victoria and the sign attracted my attention! The cozy cat and…read moreChronicles of Crime! What can sound better for the crime lover who is traveling! Books are reasonably priced and huge selection sorted by by country, gender of detective and even includes section with cat/dogs assisting sleuth. I got few books. The sales person man is really helpful.

From the owner: New used and rare books, photos, postcards and booklets. Historical Letters and documents related…read moreto BC. Always looking to buy vintage photos from Vancouver Island relating to old homesteads and business history as well as railway and logging. Signed Emily Carr books or unique items. Nautical and Exploration. We also Appraise libraries and private collections. Buying and selling rare books since 1991.