A Book is Worth Every Word: Book Stores in the HRM
Written by Daniel MacGregor
Header and Thumbnail Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash
You opened this article with the intention of reading it. After reading this article and all the other great articles published by The Journal, where will you find the next great read? Within Halifax, there are tons of places to find books on all types of subjects. This article will provide an overview of the used bookstores, new bookstores, and local publishers in the HRM. Note that this article will not be covering the many stores within the Chapters/Coles/Indigo Empire, as we are going to stay local.
New Bookstores (refers to stores that sell new books, not newly opened bookstores):
Bookmark: 5686 Spring Garden Road
Aside from the many outposts of the Chapters/Coles/Indigo empire located within the HRM, Bookmark is the largest independent general bookstore in the area (meaning they sell every type and genre of book). One of two Bookmark locations, the other being in Charlottetown, the Halifax store on Spring Garden Road is the hub for book lovers of all stripes. It is a business whose three guiding principles are "Merchants of Ideas, Inspiration and Insight", "Champions of Local", and "Mainly because of the Books." If you visit the store, you can expect to find a wide range of books, from cookbooks full of Italian recipes to The Communist Manifesto. If collecting points is your favourite pastime, you can join the Bookmark Reader Rewards Program, where every dollar spent equals 6 points and 1,000 points equal $10 in-store credit. Like most independent bookstores, Bookmark also hosts several events, which now occur in a predominantly online setting. For instance, on May 13th, 2021, the store will be hosting the online book launch of Ronald Colman's ‘What Really Counts: The Case for a Sustainable and Equitable Economy.’ For online shopping, Bookmark’s website is sleek and easily navigable.
Strange Adventures: 5110 Prince Street
Strange Adventures, a chain that specializes in selling graphic novels and related paraphernalia, has three locations, one of which is in Halifax. Strange Adventures stocks the most popular comic books. However, these stores have more nuance to them than the stereotypical comic book stores that are full of superhero tales. Aside from the usual superhero serialized comic books, they also sell posters, figurines of your favourite pop culture characters, a decent collection of manga such as The Way of the House Husband, graphic novel adaptations of series and films, and stand-alone graphic novels such as Bryan Lee O'Malley's Seconds.
Venus Envy: 1598 Barrington Street
Photo by Ayşe Kutbay on Unsplash
Venus Envy covers a particular niche in the city’s book market, as it is Halifax's premier (and award-winning) sex shop and bookstore. Suppose you need books on topics such as becoming a better partner, erotica, theory involving sex, feminism, gender, and related fiction. In that case, Venus Envy is the place to go. Aside from books, the store sells a range of products related to sex and gender, including sex toys, sex health products such as lube, and gendered products for those transitioning genders, such as binders and packers.
Used Book Stores:
Dartmouth Book Exchange: 1187A Cole Harbour Road
Located in Dartmouth, and one of the few stores situated on the other side of the harbour, the Dartmouth Book Exchange is a used bookstore that sells a diverse range of books from paranormal to manga to fantasy. Furthermore, the store sells new books written by local authors. Additionally, being a book exchange, you can bring in your own used books to receive a store credit to buy new books (new to you), or you can sell your used books directly for cash. Be sure to call the store before going in for a cash sale.
Schooner Books: 5378 Inglis Street
Schooner Books has the unique honour of being the bookstore closest to Saint Mary's campus, located a short distance down Inglis Street toward Barrington Street. The store is known for having some of the rarest and oldest books for retail in Halifax, such as works of classic authors such as Daniel Defoe. Furthermore, it has a large number of books signed by their respective authors, such as a signed copy of Spring's Immortality and Other Poems by MacKenzie Bell, published in 1896. Schooner Books also has an extensive repertoire of books on Atlantic Canada in a separate space in the store, organized by province or region.
Trident Booksellers & Café Halifax: 1256 Hollis Street
Yet another bookstore that has found its own niche is the bookstore that doubles as a café, Trident Booksellers. At Trident Booksellers, you can buy a book on the history of ninjas while enjoying coffee and cake (note, there may be no in-store dining due to Covid-19 restrictions). Located at the south end of Hollis Street, it is only a short trip away from the university campus or makes a nice stop after finishing a walk on the waterfront.
HRM Local Publishers:
Sometimes, it is best to buy books directly from the source. Fortunately, Halifax has a strong line-up of local publishers. The most prominent is Nimbus Publishing, which claims to be the most significant English publisher east of Toronto. Nimbus publishes many books written by local authors, with books ranging from 23 Years of 22 minutes (the history of the television show ‘22 Minutes’) to Keeping Things Whole (a story of drug smuggling across the Detroit River).
Formac Publishing is another local publisher focused on printing and selling works created by local authors. These publications range from a rich trove of biographies to genealogical books on the area of Mabou, Cape Breton. Formac has also hosted writing competitions for writers who have a 20,000 to 60,000 word long manuscript of either fiction or nonfiction. These manuscripts can be targeted toward any audience (adult, young adult, or teen readers). However, the last competition to take place was in 2018.
For those interested in diving into some new (or lightly used) books, these booksellers have all the variety of books you could ever want. Within Halifax, there are many places you can go to find a book whilst also buying local.