The Shop Around the Corner: Other Specialty Bookstores & Other Quebec Curios
Port de Tête. Plateau Bookstore. Photo Laura Dumitriu
Do you consider yourself a gourmet cook with a refined sense of art history? Or are you looking into either learning about or getting a deeper understanding of your faith? Are you an upcoming legal eagle? Maybe you’re a combination of all three, in which case, these independent bookstore picks are for you!
Alexandria Educational Center
1484 de l’Église (Saint Laurent)
Presenting books in English, French, and Arabic, this bookstore services anyone interested in learning more about Islam. With a mission to selling authentic books to members of the community, you will be able to find books from language-learning to biographies of major scholars and many other people involved in the faith. They include an interesting selection of other merchandise, including clothing, perfume, and home décor needs. Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 8 pm, and on weekends from 10 am to 5 pm.
Appetite for Books
388 avenue Victoria (Westmount)
Technically a cookbook store, but so much more, Appetite for Books carries all your cooking needs. Whether you’re looking for something new to try out or are just starting out, not only does this bookstore have all the cookbooks and food-related material you need, they also have a kitchen in the store itself for demos and cooking classes! Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Christian Book Depot
390 avenue Lake (Dorval)
Carrying a wide array of books and other media and servicing many different branches of Christianity, this small bookstore in the West Island can help you learn a bit more about the Christian faith or deepen your faith through self-study books. Includes some faith-related fiction books and a large collection of children’s literature. Open Monday through Wednesday from 9 am to 6 pm, Thursday and Friday from 9 am to 9 pm, and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Formats
2 rue St. Catherine est, 3rd floor (Quartier des Spectacles)
Servicing the literary and artistic bunch, Formats is a refreshingly minimalist bookstore. With a mainly French inventory, although they offer a substantial English selection as well, you can find all the books on art history, drawing, and photography you want. Special sections of note are Aboriginal art and Art and Feminism. They also have a small selection of vinyl records that might be of interest as well. Open Tuesday from 11 am to 5 pm., Wednesday through Friday from 11 am to 7 pm, and Saturday from 12 pm to 5 pm.
Rodals
4689 avenue Van Horne (Côte-des-Neiges/NDG)
One of the major sources for Judaica needs, Rodals has a dedicated book section in their store with sections from many ornate editions of Bibles to fiction. While merchandise services mainly those of the Orthodox persuasion in the faith, you can also find general interest books to help you understand the faith as well. Their various cookbooks should please just about anyone. Open Monday through Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm, Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Friday from 10 am to 1 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Wilson & Lafleur
40 rue Notre-Dame est (Ville-Marie)
Conveniently located across from the Palais de Justice, publishing company and bookstore Wilson & Lafleur is the source for all your legal needs and a small collection of mainly French and Quebec canon law and religious books. Mainly offering books for those in the legal community, this small bookstore is good for new and practising lawyers and students, but also offers general reference books such as the Quebec Civil Code and the Criminal Code. Be sure to check out some of the forms and information they have about apartment renting and wills! Open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
