photo courtesy Raul! on flickr
So – looking for an ancient copy of The Iliad? Or want to find the latest bestseller but don’t want to pay full price? Head on over to one of these fabulous finds…
1. Book Bazaar
417 Bank Street, near Florence
Tucked in beside Staples, this has got to be one of the larger used bookstores in Ottawa. If you get lost in the aisles, just consult their handy map of the store’s layout. This is definitely the bookstore where you’ll find that collection of parliamentary history texts you’ve been looking for. And their music taste is, well, eclectic – during my last visit, the selection varied from Joel Plaskett to an Italian version of Mariah Carey’s ‘Hero.’ Maybe it’s good they’re just sticking to selling used books for now? Prices are fairly reasonable – Life of Pi was $12.50 (originally $21).
2. Bytown Bookshop
47 Arlington, near Bank
On the first floor of 47 Arlington, this cozy store may not be able to boast about quantity, but they do have quality and atmosphere. They may be weak in philosophy and children’s books, but they do have an Arctic Exploration section, along with an entire section dedicated to local Ottawa history. Life of Pi here was just $8 (again, originally $21). I also found a pre-published Garrison Keillor book – kinda cool.
3. Patrick McGahern Books Inc.
783 Bank Street
Lodged on Bank Street in the heart of the Glebe is the stately Patrick McGahern Bookstore. With ceiling to floor bookcases accessed by ladders, a collection of colourful and antiquated folios and a second floor that feels a bit like a patio, this bookstore’s “well organized traditional antiquarian book shop atmosphere” may make it the most beautiful in town. However, it is not the place to go to pick up a battered copy of reading material meant as a guilty pleasure or self improvement: they don’t carry self help books, romance novels, textbook or encyclopedias. They make no bones about being more specialist then a general practitioner, and their website proudly states that “This place may not be for everybody but is for people who know and consume books.” Curiously, although Canadian literature is listed as one of those specialties, Life of Pi was nowhere to be found.
4. All Books
327 Rideau Street
While the proprietor is not out to be your next best friend (the lovable but seemingly grumpy type), he is knowledgeable. And this tiny shop is packed to the brim with good finds. They’ve got a great used cookbook selection (Moosewood! Jamie Oliver!), and if the owner doesn’t have the book you’re looking for, he might be willing to check out other stores for you. Don’t be turned off by it’s close quarters – this store is a keeper. Life of Pi went for $8 or $10, depending on the ‘used’ quality of the copy.
Know of any other treasure troves? Fill us in!
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