The Best Used Bookstores In Toronto

There is a unique pleasure to staring at reams and reams of barely organized chaos only for an unknown masterpiece to emerge from the rubble. This kind of cathartic joy can only be found in the myriad of books that occupy Toronto’s used bookstores. Below is a list of some of the best that Toronto has to offer. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Doug Miller Books

Specializing in (but not limited to) children’s books and graphic novels, Doug Miller Books is a bookstore with a very personal touch. Still run by Doug himself and ably assisted by his rabbit Bumpkin, it began as his own personal collection that he began when he was 7 and has expanded hundreds of times over throughout his lifetime. From standard books to first editions, the store is testament to the man himself, and its friendly atmosphere makes it a must for adults and children.

Balfour Books

Balfour Books, 470 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada +1 416 531 9911

BMV – Bloor Street

There cannot be a compilation of Toronto’s best used book stores without mentioning BMV. With three locations, and thousands upon thousands of books at its largest store on Bloor Street covering four floors, it is truly the leviathan of the city’s used bookstore landscape. It isn’t the quaint stereotypical image that used bookstores conjure when you first imagine them, but its selection is unparalleled meaning you won’t often leave empty handed.

A Good Read

There are few things more coveted by a true bibliophile than signed or first edition copies of their favourite books. A Good Read focuses primarily on rare books, alongside its regular used books. It’s a spacious store with the books lined up with great care along the shelves, and its owner Gary Kirk’s 12 years experience in the book business make him the ideal person to run a store so centered around offering information and advice to his patrons.

Contact Editions Inc.

Contact Editions Inc. is the Rolls Royce of used bookstores in Toronto. Specializing purely in rare and first edition books, its selection of books that range in publication date 1500 to 2007 CE and are both astonishing and more expensive than your average second-hand bookstore. From books by Charles Lamb through to Ernest Hemingway, this elegantly decorated store features the rarest books to be found in the whole of Canada.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.