Five Great Toronto Used Book Stores

Eliot’s Books

Photo by Wanda Gould

Eliot’s Books is one of the few establishments in downtown that can say it’s been open for over 30 years - and for good reason. Eliot’s has atmosphere and style that other used book stores would kill for. Three floors of tightly packed, but well organized books of all subjects, one of the most knowledgeable shop keepers around, and an enviable collection of rare cult classics give Eliot’s an edge over other used book stores. It’s one of those old school used book stores you see in movies, and just like you’d dream, you really can spend hours in there poring over their fine selection.

Rereading

ReReading Front by ReReading

Rereading, however, takes the new school spin on the used book store. Opting for organization and cleanliness over the musty character you’ll find at other stores actually puts them ahead of their competitors a lot of the time. Rereading is a place where you can find what you’re looking for easily. If you like a hunt, try Ten Editions, but if you want an organized search party, Rereading is the place for you. This of course isn’t to say that Rereading is lacking character. Quite the opposite: they have ‘Recommended’ shelves from each of their staffers, some antique chairs that manage to be comfortable and look good, and a book case of Star Trek memorabilia just for the heck of it. Check out their official site for more info.

Ten Editions

Ten Editions Bookshop
by Natasha Hartono

Ten Editions is, as I previously mentioned, the place to go if you want to spend hours and hours searching for that must have edition. This place is the epitome of old school book store: high shelves with ladders on wheels so you can reach the top and seemingly endless number of rooms in the back all filled with more categories of books than you previously knew existed. Case in point: just wandering around with a friend, we found old song books from a 1960s University of Toronto fraternity. It’s doubtful you’d find those anywhere else. Although the organization is questionable at times, Ten Editions is one of those great little used book stores that easily gets by on character alone.

She Said Boom

She Sais Boom Bookstore
by She Said Boom Bookstore

She Said Boom concentrates on a great stock of both music and books, making it an excellent place to go for multiple entertainment needs. They have a great selection of both vinyls and CDs to peruse through as well as, of course, a lot of well organized books. What’s better, the staff are always laid back and friendly, making for a consistently relaxing and positive experience at the store. It’s a great place to spend a few hours on a Saturday. For more info, try their official site.

BMV

BMV Books by Nigel Beale

And of course I just have to include BMV, even though chances are most people have already heard of it. BMV is one of the most successful used book store chains in the city and for good reason. Their selection is massive, encompassing magazines, comics, books, music, and DVDs. Their store is well organized and clean and the staff are, for the most part, friendly and happy to aid their fellow book enthusiasts. Although they’re a little short when it comes to quirky titles or rare books, BMV is an excellent place for the vast majority of your multimedia needs.

Locations and Hours of Operation:

Eliot’s is located at 584 Yonge Street, by Yonge and Wellesley, and open from 12PM-8PM on Sunday and 11AM-8PM every other day of the week.The nearest subway station is Wellesley.

Rereading is located at 548 Danforth Avenue, and is open from 10AM-7PM on Mondays through Wednesdays, from 10AM-9PM on Thursdays, and from 10AM-10PM on Fridays, and from 10AM-6PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The nearest subway station is Pape.

Ten Editions is located at 698 Spadina, by Spadina and Sussex. It is open from 10AM-6PM on weekdays, and 11AM-6PM on weekends. The nearest subway station is Spadina.

She Said Boom has two locations: one at 372 College Street and another at 393 Roncesvalles Avenue. It is open from 11AM-7PM Mondays through Wednesdays and Saturday, 11AM-8PM on Thursdays and Fridays, and 12PM-6PM on Sundays. The nearest subway stations are respectively Bathurst and High Park.

BMV has three locations: one at 2289 Yonge, by Yonge and Eglinton, another at 471 Bloor, just west of Spadina, and another at 10 Edward Street, by Yonge and Dundas. They are open from 10AM-11PM.