It's one of the best bookstore in Victoria, with lots of choices and they are open until 9pm. In fact they remind me of Renault Bray in Quebec. They have chairs to sit and read a bit and prices is good i would say better than Indigo. They have nice depts of biography, novels and a nice dept of magasines. Un des bon libraire de Victoria, beaucoup de choix, et de plus comme Renaud Bray au Québec ils sont ouvert jusqu'a 9 hrs. Ils ont quelques chaises ou on peut s'assoir et feuilleter un bon livre, les prix sont meilleurs qu'Indigo, et au moins ce n'est pas une chaine de magasins. Ils ont plusieurs sections : Biography, novels et une belle section de magasines. read more

Rude and unfriendly staff. Will not be back. Too bad - the store has a good selection of children's books and puzzles. Off I happily skip to Munro's (bookstore) instead! read more

Had a poor experience where I bought a mug that was price at $10.95 and they rang it through as $14.95. When I went back to address the discrepanc, the employee was extremely rude and said "That's too bad, it's $14.95." When I asked to speak to a supervisor, they refused, saying it wasn't worth their time. You lost a long time customer over $4 and your employees bad attitudes. read more

Bolen Books is one of Victoria's hidden gems. It is set off of the normal tourist tracks in the hillside shopping district. Its location makes it convenient for commuters going up and down the shelbourne corridor and for students from nearby Camosun and UVic. The selection of Bolen books is hard to match. The various sections are huge, often with more selection than one usually expects from an independent (With the exception of Munro's, which also fits this description.) Personally, this is most notable in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section, where a notably large catalogue of authors is featured. If, for some reason, they do not have what you are looking for on the shelf, more often than not, the staff will be able to special order it in for you (and will usually offer to do so without having to be asked). They also have a large selection of toys, puzzles, games, decorations and knick-knacks for all-ages, which are sold around the perimeter of the store One of the most delightful features is the children's section; which sits in the store centre taking up about a quarter of Bolen's total space. It is bright, colourful and welcoming, without disturbing the peaceful ambiance of the surrounding sections. You'll have to draw your own conclusions about the full selection as I am relatively unfamiliar, but I have noticed a refreshingly large selection of educational books and gadgets (especially the gadgets). The store is one of the anchors of the hillside mall. While an unusual arrangement for an independent book seller, this gives Bolen some nice features. First is the enormous amount of floor space afforded to the store, which is used to the fullest. Secondly, there are multiple mall and street exits, each of which has a register. This means that there are very few line-ups and crowds (though I have seen this approach backfire when everyone decided to leave via the small Food court exit) Thirdly, is the perk of having the adjacent food court. While it is not as intentional as a Chapters with a Starbucks, the presence of a Starbucks as well as the full selection of food court fare feels a little like having ones cake and eating it to. (note: I do not know if drinks are allowed in Bolen, I've never tried so ask first) Bolen's staff are amazing. They are attentive (recognized me by my 3rd visit), upbeat (except right before closing, but then again, who is) and friendly (no exceptions here). I think it is also worth noting the unique synergy that exists between Bolen and Munro's. Inevitably, if one does not have a desired book the other will have it on the shelf, ready to buy. Munro's convenience of location in the downtown core, is also complemented by Bolen's convenience of hours, open well into late business hours. Its this synergy that has left chains such as Indigo (Chapters, Coles, Smith etc.) with little more than a finger-hold in Victoria. read more

Fabulous independent book store! They have a wide selection of books and puzzles. It's got a calm, laid-back vibe, which makes it a great place to wander and browse. read more

Bolen Books is a Victoria institution that should not be missed. It is one of the main reasons to go to Hillside mall. The selection is vast and the atmosphere is cozy. Looking for something for a hard to shop for individual? Take a browse through Bolens, they have something for everyone! The Children's section is one of the best I've seen, parents and educators need to shop here! read more

Always has been my favourite bookstore in Victoria. Best children's section by far, and the whole vibe of the store is adorable, cozy and fun. read more

My hero came here last year giving a speech and signing two of my books! It was A.J. Jacobs, editor at Esquire Magazine in NY and writer of the three books "The Year of Living Biblically; One Man's Humble Quest to Live the Bible as Literally as Possible," "The Guinea Pig Diaries; My Life as an Experiment," and "The Know-It-All; One Man's Humble Quest to Read the Encyclopedia from A-Z." Check for author book signings! read more

Every time I visit Victoria, I have to stop by. I can spend hours browsing the science fiction and fantasy shelves, the journals, the bookends, and oh yeah, get a gift for someone. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, quick to help out and offer to order a book if they don't have it on hand. read more

Here's the word I've been coming here since I was 8 or younger it has a great selection of new books with every subject you could think of. if there's a particular book/cd/dvd/something else artsty you want find out when they get it and go there right away and pick up the item on the arrival date or get there beforehand and put a copy on reserve. it's right in the middle of the mall, next to the food court and the parking lot. not the best, but certainly one of the best. read more

If you are a book lover, Bolen Books is heaven. When I was young and visiting Victoria I have many fond memories of completing my book collections in the children's section. After visiting as an adult I was delighted to see that nothing has changed, and this is still a wonderful place to browse for hours. I was only able to stop in for a few minutes on the way to the airport but I was greeted and helped by some helpful staff, and I wanted to stay for the rest of the day. This is hands down one of the best bookstores I have ever been to, with a wide selection and wonderful atmosphere to match. read more

I have been visiting Bolen's books since they were a tiny shop in the main mall, and I have always loved going there. They were the first in town to offer serious computer programming books, the only one that would special order books (before the rise of Amazon), and they still have the best selection in Victoria. Even with the popularity of online shopping I still visit Bolen's every week. read more

It's no Powell's, but Bolen Books is a Victoria institution that I hope never, ever goes away. It would break my heart into tiny pieces if they disappeared, and every time I go home to Victoria my insides light up with joy to see Bolen Books. I could easily spend hours upon hours in there, wandering the aisles of books and looking at all the neat gifty things in the store. They've got fantastic service, so very many books, and they have oodles of space dedicated to local authors. It's a must-visit for any book fan! read more

I love Bolen Books and checking out all the books. But that said, I pretty much buy all my books on Amazon, and recently its all been Kindle books that I buy on my iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Laptop, etc. Still love Bolen Books, but I mostly buy electronic books these days. read more

I don't buy my books anywhere else if I can help it. The service is great and they can get stuff in faster than Amazon!

This is without a doubt the best book store in town! The staff is friendly and knowledgable and they have the best selection of manga in town! If they don't have what you want they will order it in for you. read more

Extremely helpful service! We shopped there for a ton of books for Christmas and were thrilled with the selection and helpful service. We will be back. read more

Probably the only store in a MALL worth going to! This place is huge for an independent bookstore! Awesome staff, great selection, lots of awesome little discoveries! Has all the fine, fun qualities of a used shop (discoveries! eccentric!) but everything is pristine! Love the game selection, too. Lots of great kids stuff. Worth the trip for a browse! read more

thank god for Bolen Books!! I find Victoria is hard to find good bookstores but Bolen's is an exception. They have everything from Stephen King to you-name-it. even my little girl likes this bookstore. read more

Without a doubt, the best bookstore in Victoria. I have been frequenting this shop for more years than I care to remember and cannot recall ever having a negative experience. Their kids' section is brilliant -- I don't have any small people to buy books for but I still find myself wandering through those aisles just because the selection is phenomenal. The staff are well read and helpful without being intrusive. Their hours are great -- open until 10:00 p.m. every night. read more

It always has what I'm looking for, great for magazines, non-fiction, and has the best sci-fi section in the city by a mile! Helpful and knowledgeable staff. Best of all, its local. read more

This store is great! Although it is large it somehow has retained the feel of a smaller independent book store. I like the tables with suggested reads and all their staff are obviously book people ( you get the feeling you are speaking to someone with a degree in literature ). Besides books they have lots of other products like games, journals and calendars. It all works. This is a place you want to stroll around discovering gems. Serendipity rules here! read more