Bookstore shopping in Vancouver
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A
Wanderlust
Neatly divided between guidebooks, maps and travel literature and a large array of travel accessories, this store has been inspiring itchy feet among the locals for years. While the travel book selection is deeper than any other in town, it’s the gadgets that are most intriguing. Peruse the luggage, money belts and mosquito nets, then wonder how you ever got by without quick-drying underwear. The staff of seasoned travelers is super-knowledgeable if you just want to talk up your next big adventure.
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B
Kidsbooks
If you’re wondering what your sprogs can read now that the Harry Potter series may be over, bring them here. Like a theme park for bookish kids, this fantastic child-friendly store – Canada’s biggest kids’ bookshop – has thousands of novels, picture books, history titles and anything else you can think of to keep them quiet. There are also regular readings by visiting authors and a selection of quality toys and games.
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C
Travel Bug
Lined with maps, guidebooks and travel literature (plus handy on-the-road accessories), this is the smaller of two excellent travel-related Kits bookstores. It’s a browsable treat for those planning a trip or those who just like to imagine afar from a comfy armchair. Check the website for readings from sinewy travel writers just back from navigating the Amazon armed only with shoelaces and a toothpick.
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D
Golden Age Collectables
If you’re missing your regular dose of Emily the Strange or you just want to blow your vacation budget on a highly detailed life-size model of Ultra Man, head straight to this Aladdin’s cave of the comic-book world. While the clientele is unsurprisingly dominated by males of a certain age, the staff are friendly and welcoming – especially to wide-eyed kids buying their first Archie.
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E
Bibliophile Bookshop
Serving the area’s well-read bohemians, this great used-tome store is one of several bookish nooks along the Drive. Floor-to-ceiling stacks bulge with titles covering just about every subject, including a surprisingly good selection of Canadian fiction. The shop additionally sells a menagerie of folk art, which explains the random carved ornaments populating spots where books won’t fit.
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F
Book Warehouse
This busy outlet of Vancouver’s favorite independent bookstore chain is one of several branches around the city. Prices are discounted on most titles and there’s a good travel section and big stocks of new releases, contemporary faves and perennial classics. Look out for regular sales and pre-announced shipments of ‘hurt books’ – new tomes with minor dings and major discounts.
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G
Macleod’s Books
From its creaky floorboards to those skuzzy carpets and ever-teetering piles of books, this legendary locals’ fave is the best place in town to peruse a cornucopia of used tomes. From dance to occult – plus a travel section – it’s the ideal spot for a rainy-day browse. Check the windows for posters of local readings and artsy happenings.
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H
Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium
One of the only gay bookshops in western Canada, Little Sister’s is a large bazaar of queer-positive tomes, plus magazines, DVDs and gifts. Proceeds of designated books support the store’s long-running legal battle against Canada Customs for its seizures of imported items. A good place to network with the local ‘gayborhood.’
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I
Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks
Traveling epicureans should salivate over to this bookstore, specializing in finger-licking food and wine tomes. There are also regular book-reading events and cooking classes in the demonstration kitchen if you fancy rubbing shoulders with a culinary maestro or two – check its website for the schedule.
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