I'm an easy sell on independently-and-locally-owned bookstores and Books on Beechwood is exactly…read morethat, while not being exorbitantly expensive because of it. In fact, their prices are extremely competitive with what you'd pay at larger/chain retailers. The staff are friendly and helpful, and they're more than willing to order a book for you if they don't happen to have it in stock. It's a great place to check in on every once in awhile to see what they have for sale.

Super cute bookstore. I always enjoy looking around. Owners are extremely warm and kind. For sure a…read morebookstore that you want to visit.

Very fun. In addition to great magazine selection, there's lots of fun (even quirky) gifts…read moreincluding writing related items, gag gifts and baby gifts. Enjoyable browsing through what's there. Need something for a Kris Kringle / Secret Santa exchange? This is your store. Good prices and many price ranges. Staff are great too! Would I recommend: Yes Would I return: Yes

This is by far the best selection of magazines in Ottawa that I have come across…read more It's been an institution in the city for what seems like forever but they're still around because if you're looking for something, no matter how obscure, they seem to have it. The magazines are arranged by category and they cover everything from the home to computing, finance, fashion, celebs and pets and seem to come from every part of the globe. They also have all the major newspapers including a cross section of not so top-of-mind Canadian cities like North Bay. I was there looking for a particular title and although they didn't have it in stock they were going to be ordering it and the salesperson told me the exact day in which I would be able to find it in store which was quite impressive. All that said, whether you're looking for something niche or mainstream Mag & Fags seems to have it all!

Firstly I'd like to say that this is one of the best experiences that I've ever had walking into…read moreany store in Ottawa. Today (November 3rd, 2020) my mom and I decided to stop in after driving by and instantly noticing the pretty lady in the sari guiding a couple people around the store. Let me just say it was the best decision. As we walk in we are greeted by the overall amazing zen that seems to fill the store, it's very calming and very uplifting. We were greeted by the lady in the sari who I didn't get her name sadly but she was a complete joy to speak with. She made my mom and I comfortable and answered all of our questions about anything we had. She also gave us a great lesson on the singing bowls and by the end of it we were able to play them (not as good as her lol) we ended up playing a wide array of singing bowls which was very fun and super relaxing, they sound and feel incredible. They also have an awesome selection of crystals, stones, bracelets, malas, incense and anything to align your chakras and help you meditate or cleanse your space/body. Also the scent of the store is so amazing and I wish I could bottle it and wear it as a perfume haha. I also love that they offer samples of any incense and cones for you to try and I love love love that! Especially for when I want to try new incenses without buying a whole box. They also offer very cute free handmade crystal bags made of Indian silks and fabrics when you purchase crystals/stones. I 100% absolutely recommend stopping in, wether you are a pro at using crystals, bowls, etc. or are just curious. It's a magical place that I will be coming back to time and time again. Just wish I knew about this store sooner!!

The Garden of Light is a calm little spirituality shop in Old Ottawa South. Their prices are…read morereasonable and they have a wide selection of beautiful jewelry, candles, incense, cards, agendas, singing bowls, essential oils, books and music. Oddly, their book selection isn't that diverse since it seems they mainly only have books written by Sri Chinmoy. Their music selection is mainly by him too. However, if you're looking for something else but still from that genre, Soul Matters is a couple stores down and Mother Tongue Books is one block north. The service here is sincerely pleasant and I was able to pick up a couple Christmas gifts on my travels too. Definitely check it out if this place sounds like a fit for you or anyone on your Christmas list.

It always makes me happy to find a great, well-organized second-hand bookshop given how rare they…read moreare these days and how many of them have disappeared the past few years due to on-line ordering. Spent the weekend with my cousin, who is also a bibliophile like myself and he brought me here since he wanted to get a book for me (which he found almost immediately) . While browsing, I saw some fantastic titles and noticed how extremely organized and labelled all the sections were. Another great Ottawa spot to hit up, the next time I'm in town.

Came here for the first time the other day. I must say, this place is pretty cool. This store is…read morebig and has a lot of variety. They have a lot of new and old books. I got lucky and found a first edition book I was looking for. Staff was nice and helped with any questions I had. This stores prices are a bit higher then most used book stores. But they aren't unreasonable. The books are all in fair-good condition, some even look new. I would suggest this store to any book lovers.

I love this store. The staff are amazing and so knowledgeable and very helpful. They have the best…read moreselection of Tarot, Oracle Cards and other related Books and items. They have a great used section of trade ins and if you're lucky you'll find a decent selection of used Tarot Cards. They can also order just about anything in books Fiction or Non Fiction and it arrives pretty quickly. It's my personal go to store for all my Book and Card needs.

Singing Pebble Books reminds me of a scene from a story: the shop front is small, but the amount of…read morestock is rather large. I found a good selection of texts on parenting and spirituality. The front counter is actually a display case for some very pretty pieces of New Age jewelry. The best part of my shopping experience is that the books were sold at the lower U.S. dollar price.

So Westboro Books is a bookstore that recently (October 2023) opened up where The Wild Child…read moreProject used to be (before that it was Cococo Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut). They obviously have books, of all genres, but they have so much more than books. They have board games/card games and they have toys too, including Celestial Buddies, which are plushies of planets, moons and all things, well... celestial, lol. I especially liked the Saturn plushie. They have "Every Child Matters" stuffed bears as well. They have really cool bookmarks (I especially liked the Spaghetti and Meatballs bookmark). They have earrings that are book covers! Perfect for the bibliophile in your life who also loves jewelry (and has their ears pierced). The bookstore is very open and not cluttered at all. They had some shelves still empty when I went the first week of November 2023, so I think they will be getting more merchandise. Prices are comparable to other regular bookstores. No bargain basement prices, but no huge markup for being in trendy Westboro, lol. Staff are friendly and pleasant. They leave you alone to browse, which I like, but seemed helpful with other customers who needed help (I did not need help, so did not interact too much with staff). Great place to pick up gifts. They are definitely a welcomed addition to Westboro! Street parking only.

This is an amazing new addition to our neighborhood. A new independent book store that is huge…read moreselection of books with a great kids section. Also a nice choice for unique small gifts. Prices are great and yiy have the added value of contributing to a local independent store..almost forgot to mention how nice and knowledgeable the owner is, I got great service a was able to get all my question answered. She also mentioned she intends to host book related events and have kids events which will be perfect for winter. Definitely added to my fevorite places list.

As a fibre addict (paper, wool, fabric) this store goes a long way to giving me my fix. With a…read morelovely selection of gift cards, journals, stickers, ribbon and a small but lovely selection of scrapbooking and card making paper/supplies, it's lovely to browse in and almost impossible to walk away from without a purchase. In addition to my 'drug' of choice, they have some fun small gift and decor options. Everything is beautifully displayed. Staff are friendly. This surprise me - but dogs are welcome. (Apparantly most Glebe stores allow dogs... who knew? Love it!) If you are a vistor to Ottawa, it's in an area that's lovely to walk on a sunny day. Would I return? Yes Would I recommend: Yes

Very interesting store, like a wonderland for adult!…read more They have all sorts of paper stuff, and all so beautiful! From thank you card, notebook, envelop, warp paper, to napkin. You name it, they have it. They put together the most beautiful paper stuff together in one store. Many products are too precious to be used. Very easy to spend lots of time here, even just look around. Love it here!

This is one of the nicest gift shops I have seen associated with a museum - wide variety which…read moreincluded books, clothing, ornaments, crafts etc. associated with either the museum itself or exhibits. I picked up a very nice book related to their current temporary exhibit as well as some mementos - everything was well displayed & not overly pricey as far as traditional gift shops go. Staff were knowledgeable about their products and very helpful. Great way to wrap up your visit to the museum!

I must have been in 100 gift shops over my 10 days in Ontario and Québec. Over that time, there…read morewasn't one with better quality items that the Canadian Museum of History (Musée Canadien de l'Histoire) gift shop/boutique. Let's start with the more standard stuff: High quality hoodies, sweaters, t-shirts, hats, mugs, bags, keychains, cards, and lanyards (to name a few) ... most bright red, emblazoned with maple leaves and other famous Canadian locales placed front-and-center. Then there's plenty in French and things that may specifically appeal to the French and French-Canadian. My personal fave is the whole section (with shirts, books, etc.) dedicated to the famed Astérix et Obélix cartoon -- a staple in French humor since the late 1950s. And, of course, the thing that sets this gift shop apart is all the books, bags, t-shirts, posters, jewelry, blankets, scarves, shawls, plush toys, keychains, magnets, boxes, ties, totes, carvings, ornaments, brooches, journals, etc., specifically related to the Museum's exhibits past and present. I can't stress it enough how exceptional a place this is if you want a book on all facets of Canadian history ... both publications by the Museum itself and those seminal works on Canadian history and life. As well, no store I've been to in Canada compares when it comes to carvings, totems, and other items related to the Inuit and First Nations. It's such a great store, I'll say make sure you don't forget to see the Museum itself!!!!