You know what makes a good little book store? Selection and a great staff and those are two things…read moreDoug Miller books just so happens to have. My wife and I wandered into this store yesterday afternoon while taking a walk down Bloor. This store is PACKED from the front to the back and while that might overwhelm some people, I absolutely love being surrounded by thousands of books and the smell that comes with that. I spent a good thirty minutes digging through horror, Canadian history, poetry, and everything else before finally landing on something to read on the flight back home. The gentleman working was also great and definitely the kind of person I want to interact with while book shopping (I also support anyone going to see Napalm Death and Primitive Man). Overall, Doug Miller books is a must stop for any reader out book hunting. The selection was fantastic, the store was cozy, and the staff was fantastic. I'll definitely be back in the future!

poorly organized, cluttered, poor selection, aisles so narrow that customers unable to pass one…read moreanother. Very unpleasant experience. Avoid this bookshop!

I came across Seekers Books by chance, and it feels like one of those hidden spots only true book…read morelovers appreciate. The space is a bit packed and unpolished, but that's exactly what makes it interesting--you never know what you'll find tucked between the shelves. It has a quiet, slightly nostalgic vibe, perfect for slowing down and browsing. Not a place for quick visits, but definitely worth it if you enjoy the hunt.

The workers here maintain such a high level of cleanliness I could tell they cleaned regularly,…read moreeven during the day. I asked one staff member for a book recommendation and they were so enthusiastic. Clean, helpful, and peaceful that's what this place is.

I'm pretty well-versed in Toronto's used bookstores from Spadina westward, and I got to tell you,…read moreif you're looking for a operated by two grumpy old white men who feel at ease with making inappropriate judgements about your book selection, then this is the place for you. I was looking for Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" and the stockier gentleman responded "they run out quickly, guess suicidal and mediocre has become in fashion again." This wasn't the only thing I noticed. I was curious about the name "Balfour," and it only occurred to me from the various Israel-themed content in the bookstore that it's most likely commemorative of Arthur Balfour, the British administrator of post-Ottoman Palestine who promised a Jewish state for Zionist Jews in the UK (see "Balfour Declaration, 1917). For a used bookstore that I've been frequenting for at least 8 years now since I've moved to this city, their selection has been consistently in desperate need for non-white authors, especially in their social sciences, religious studies, philosophy, plays, and art sections. The prices, sure, can be low, sometimes lower than other bookstores (especially the smaller, vintage-looking paperbacks at the front), but they've increased over time. $25 dollars for a Foucault book? Come on now! Moral of the story is: if you're a bookworm with a shred of an ethical compass, I implore you to avoid this bookstore at any costs. Don't let the price or the antiquarian section deceive you, Toronto is a reader-heavy city with many competing bookstores that you can visit and indulge your imagination in!

Super warm and wonderful staff! Love this place, will definitely be coming back again many times!read more

If you ever have an hour to kill, BVM Books is the absolute perfect spot to just lose track of…read moretime. The guy working the counter is super chill and welcoming, which instantly sets a great vibe the second you walk in. Honestly, the selection is insane.. they have a ton of brand-new books for basically a fraction of the regular price, so you always end up walking out with some incredible, unexpected finds. It's easily one of my favorite places to slow down and just browse whenever I'm in the area.

Great place with low prices for books. I don't remember getting a good buying rate for the books I…read morebrought in eons ago, but I appreciate that I could pick up some cheap books for my kids!

What a great used record shop! It was very easy to get to in the trolley system from the…read morelake/downtown area. The selection had many titles that I have not been able to find at other locations. The attendant was super informative and helpful. He saw what I was looking for and made great recommendations. The prices seem reasonable and comparable to other shops I visited. I will definitely visit again.

Possibly the fanciest, spacious, and tidiest record store in Toronto. Store is well-designed and…read moreyou can find something to your taste, no matter your music genre preferences. If you are into CD's, cassettes, and their respective players, they have them too! I picked up a new copy of the Cult of the Lamb vinyl here, which I've never seen anywhere else. Also picked up the Beatle's Magical Mystery Tour vinyl - solid track list. The staff is not as friendly as other record stores and there are a lot of unwelcoming "you're on camera" type signs literally everywhere, which really threw off the vibe of the store (I mean is this necessary?). However, the vinyl selection is great and reasonably priced, and I appreciate that they grade the used vinyls for quality as well.

A super cute rare book store. The selection was limited but well curated and nothing was…read moreoverpriced. The clerk was friendly but in no way intrusive. Try your luck with the random book vending machine!

We found her way to The Monkey's Paw from a list of unique and unusual Toronto sites. That list…read morespecifically mentioned the book vending machine which I had to try, but as an avid reader and book-collector ("antiquarian" if you're fancy) I was equally interested in simply perusing the store as a whole. The book vending machine-- as of March 2025, for a $5 CAD bill (or credit card), you get a token for the machine which randomly drops a vintage book. I received a hard-cover vintage mystery novel nicely wrapped in a mylar book protective jacket (and a price tag indicating this one was $19.99 at one point). Pretty cool book, pretty recommended experience overall. As to the store itself--friendly proprietor and generally nice layout. But try as I might, I could not find a book to spend my money on. I was intent on purchasing something, and open to splurging a bit. But the closest I came was a 3rd or 4th edition hardcover of Daphne De Maurier's "Don't Look Now" novel printed in the 1970s. I love her work and have many of her books, but not this one which may be her most famous due to the Donald Sutherland film adaptation. However, for $35...I just couldn't quite do it. If it were a first edition, most certainly. If it were $20 for a 4th edition, quite possibly. There were some cool vintage sci-fi paperbacks (Heinlein, Herbert, Aasimov, etc.) that were probably priced in line with the market. But much of the stock reminded me of how "curating" a collection can present items as more valuable than they are. Is a gardening book from the 1950s in VF condition worth $40? Or a map cut out of an old National Geographic matted on cardstock worth $20? I really like the idea of this store and wish them the best because book stores are the coolest places on earth. I just felt everything was about 25% higher than it was likely worth. I would have splurged had I come across a great old edition of a favorite novel, though. Sounds like stock changes regularly and they are set up to encourage perusing, finding something you didn't know you were looking for. Wish them continued success and giving them a solid "3" (which in my book is "good"). Definitely recommend the vending machine!

Discovered this super cute fantasy and sci-fi bookstore on Harbord St. The moment I walked in the…read morestaff were super great and helped me find a book I was looking for. The store itself was just amazing, dorky, magical vibes all around. What I really loved was the fact that one of the store workers or owner would make little mini reviews and stick it on the shelves near the book. They were so enjoyable to read and gave me some good recommendations for books. They also have $5 mystery book bags in the back. I definitely just love the fact that this is a bookstore dedicated to fantasy and sci-fi and you can tell that the owners genuinely love reading these kinds of books. It also looks like they host lots of book related events for the community.

A store? Where you buy books? What a novel concept!…read more If you're a fan of Fantasy and SF, you've probably heard of Bakka. It's the oldest surviving specialty bookstore of its kind in North America, and even though it has moved fairly regularly over the past decade (it's about to move to its fourth location, but hopefully this is for good) it's carried that history with it. You can find a great selection of books there, both prose and graphic novels, as well as a selection of used books and magazines. They carry both origina works as well as large selections of media tie in novels. The staff there are acutely aware of what is published, and if you can tell them what you enjoyed they'll be able to point you at something else that'll be to your liking. Plus, many books have notecards explaining what they're about and what readers will find appealing about them.m If you have any interest in sf books, you owe it to yourself to go here.

It's like stepping back in time - a shop that sells newspapers and magazines! If you're looking for…read morepublications in print that are current, this is the place. It's a tough business to be in in this digital age but I'm so happy they do their best to provide. Very friendly clerk. They are also operating like a corner store for your snack cravings and to diversify.

Good spot for the purchase of newspapers and subway ride away.Close to Bathurst Station,says it…read moreopens at 11am.