Secondhand Bookshops

[Swift]

It seems there are a dearth of secondhand bookshops in Calgary. Apart from Fair's Fair (and thrift stores), does anybody know of any?

[CliffFletcher]

Just curious - what's the matter with Fair's Fair? They have a pretty remarkable inventory.

[CliffFletcher]

Okay, I have time to write a longer response. Secondhand bookstores are going the way of retail brick and mortar book stores. Have you noticed that Chapters is closing stores and turning most of the ones left into gift shops. Most secondhand bookstores were barely viable in the first place - a dingy basement with unorganized stacks of books, a cat sleeping in the corner, and a grouchy, chainsmoking proprietor. They had a certain charm, but they didn't survive even the beginning of the transition to e-books.

Fair's Fair is still around because they have properly organized stores and a shrewd business model. But even they're hurting. The just closed their Macleod Trail location. Still, between their Inglewood and Chinook locations, which are more warehouses than stores, you have a good chance of finding what you're looking for. Not many used bookstores anywhere have that kind of selection.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Okay, I have time to write a longer response. Secondhand bookstores are going the way of retail brick and mortar book stores. Have you noticed that Chapters is closing stores and turning most of the ones left into gift shops. Most secondhand bookstores were barely viable in the first place - a dingy basement with unorganized stacks of books, a cat sleeping in the corner, and a grouchy, chainsmoking proprietor. They had a certain charm, but they didn't survive even the beginning of the transition to e-books.

Fair's Fair is still around because they have properly organized stores and a shrewd business model. But even they're hurting. The just closed their Macleod Trail location. Still, between their Inglewood and Chinook locations, which are more warehouses than stores, you have a good chance of finding what you're looking for. Not many used bookstores anywhere have that kind of selection.

I just had to laugh because I've been to a place EXACTLY how you described it. Right down the the grouch selling them.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

It seems there are a dearth of secondhand bookshops in Calgary. Apart from Fair's Fair (and thrift stores), does anybody know of any?

I believe there is one on 4th St SW, basically right at the war memorial. Just on the southern tip of downtown basically.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Just curious - what's the matter with Fair's Fair? They have a pretty remarkable inventory.

Oh I wasn't complaining about Fair's Fair. I visit them quite frequently. I like to have a variety of places to browse and was wondering what else is out there.

I found a reddit post from a couple of years ago listing secondhand bookshops in Calgary, and almost 50% have since closed

[OMG!WTF!]

I have a small second hand book store in my storage locker. The Powell's store online is a good bet if you're looking for something specific not just an afternoon of snooping and dusty cats.

[dubc80]

Not a bookstore, but one of these just popped up in our neighborhood.

http://littlefreelibrary.org/

I stop and take a look everytime I walk by when I'm out with the dog. Pretty neat!

[Hack&Lube]

I wonder if like vinyl records, actual vintage books will have any sort of resurgence . There just doesn't seem to be the market or demand for it aside from it. I think I've been inside Fair's Fair in Inglewood only once in the past decade despite being in the neighborhood at least once a week.