City Lights Bookshop - London, ON Canada

City Lights Bookshop, London, ON Canada

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If you enjoy visiting large used book stores, some of the best can be found in bigger cities.  I can think of several that fit this description and now I can add one more.  City Lights is located in downtown London, ON, a town with a population of 400,000+.  These indies usually have an excellent depth AND breadth of inventory that is sometimes hard to find in bookstores that only carry new books.  I’ve also discovered that these large used book stores can be a maze of aisles, shelves, and nooks that are very fun to explore and leading you to books you didn’t know you wanted.  If this is the kind of bookstore you enjoy visiting, City Lights is your answer for the experience.  

City Lights is not a very common name for a bookstore but this is the third one I’ve been to with that name.  Many of you may be familiar with the City Lights in San Francisco and there is also a City Lights in Sylva, NC.  They are all owned separately, by different owners, and not related.  For City Lights in London, you can enjoy a visit to a two-story bookstore offering almost entirely used books along with a few new (the second floor is only accessible through its own outside doorway).  Many of the used books are donated but customers can receive store credit for the books they bring in.  They also offer more expensive vintage and collectible editions which can be found and purchased online.  I thought the used comics along with books by Canadian authors were especially good.  Additionally, you can find music on vinyl online or in the store along with CDs, cassettes, video cassettes, and DVDs.  City Lights offers a few sidelines including stickers and buttons uniquely created by a local artisan.  Other than that, it’s mostly about the books here.

Current owners Daniel H. and Jennifer B. weren’t here during my visit but as with so many of my visits when I can’t meet the owners, the bookstore is ALWAYS left in great hands.  Store manager James E. was on the 1st floor and bookseller Misha was assisting customers up on the 2nd floor.  Both were very generous with their time and James especially so despite a very busy week-day afternoon of customers. 

Parking can be a little tricky so if you come by car, be patient because you can find many public lots within a block or so of the store.  Your patience will be rewarded when you make it to City Lights and enjoy the exploration of a splendid big city used book store.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  There, There, Tommy Orange.  I'm late to the party on this one that gets lots of accolades.  From everyone except me.  Fictional profiles of several Native Americans of different ages and experiences living in the California Bay Area.  Meh.  Didn't grab me at all.  In the words of one review I read, a very long, short book. 

CURRENTLY READING:  The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence. 

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  The Witches, Stacy Schiff.  Not Wanted On The Voyage, Timothy Findley.  The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence. 

Beautiful historic building in downtown London. 

Apologies for the glare.  Trust me, its a nice display window. 

Front entryway before entering the store. 

View looking into the store from the front entrance. 

Looking to the right from the front entrance. 

A few of the audio books offered in the front of the store at an attractive price. 

One of the side book aisles in the front of the store. 

Here's your price guide. 

Very close to the front of the store, the cool shelf offers popular and/or good selling books.  A great place to begin your shopping. 

Find unique buttons at the checkout counter.  If you see one you like, get it! 

I thought the inventory of comics were excellent. 

Hey collectors, here you go. 

Consider a City Lights t-shirt. 

Onward!

A portion of the DVDs, and Blu-Rays offered. 

Follow the signs to your favorite genre. 

Unique sidelines at the checkout counter. 

In order to get to the 2nd floor, exit the store out the front door and find this doorway which will lead you upstairs and more books. 

Looking into the 2nd floor from the top of the stairway. 

Curl around immediately to the left and this is your view. 

Overview of the front room on the 2nd floor.  You'll find music genres here among other things. 

Variety of old magazines on the 2nd floor offered at a great price. 

If you know any Mark Twain fans, send them here. 

Continuing through the hallway toward the back of the 2nd floor. 

This poor customer upstairs, left behind from his tour group years ago. 

Overview of one of the smaller rooms toward the back of the 2nd floor. 

With James on the left, the fine store manager at City Lights Bookshop.  Thanks for a great visit. 

The Book Keeper - Sarnia, ON Canada

The Book Keeper, Sarnia, ON Canada

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To my American followers, if you want to experience an international bookstore without leaving the continent, boy do I have the place for you.  And it’s conveniently located in a border town so you can even stop here on your way to another Canadian destination.  If you have any doubts about whether you might not enjoy a Canadian bookstore as much as one in the US, perish the thought.  The Book Keeper checks all the boxes; events, sidelines, online purchases, BOOKS of course, and best of all some of the nicest people you could ever meet.  I can guarantee you’ll have a top notch experience.  

I didn’t get to meet owner Susan C., who established the footprint for this business and assembled a dream team staff along with store manager Julie H-V.  The business has been around for approximately 45 years and Susan has been the owner for about 25.  In those 45 years, they not only survived the pandemic, they thrived.  Successful online orders along with deliveries kept the store more than afloat and that success continues today.

The store offers all new books and a wide variety of sidelines in a very neatly arranged one-level space.  Sidelines and books can all be purchased on the store website if you can’t visit in person.  I thought their variety of games were especially good.  The stickers also sell very well and you'll find greeting cards, quirky bookstore socks, fish-hook earrings, assorted chocolate, and art supplies to name a few.  They also host various events including a drag queen story time, popular with everyone, supporters and detractors alike.  

Much of the success here can also be attributed to a very strong local base of regulars, an important factor for any bookstore’s success.  I have no doubt about this but my 5-star experience here was thanks to the Book Keeper rock stars I met.  Julie along with booksellers Holly, Ann, and Robin will give you every reason to buy local, shop local.  Am I right, Sarnia?  That cold winter season is right around the corner and these are the exact people and the exact bookstore that will help make that season a bit more bearable.  Check this beauty out and enjoy a terrific experience that will never be duplicated online.  Go to an indie and buy a book.  Bonsoir.

JUST FINISHED:  Where Wolves Don’t Die, Anton Treuer.  After a violent exchange at his Minneapolis school, 9th grader Ezra Cloud is brought by his dad to their native reservation in northern Canada to spend time with his grandparents.  Grandpa Liam takes him to spend the winter in the wilderness and learns the ways of native trapping, survival, and family history.  But the story takes a dark turn as the pair try to return to the reservation after the winter.  Classified as YA fiction but outstanding reading for adults, a great book.  Recommended.  

CURRENTLY READING:  There There, Tommy Orange.  

RECENTLY PURCHASED:  Scat Finder, Dorcas S. Miller.  150 Bookstores You Need To Visit Before You Die, Elizabeth Stamp.  Trivia game.  Not purchased, but gifted: A Book Keeper and Sarnia themed gift bag including pens, chocolate, bookmarks, stickers, and postcards.  Thanks Julie. 

Another angle of the beautiful storefront. 

Floral highlights, expansive display window, and a timeless quote all in one shot. 

The store is host for multiple book clubs. 

View looking into the store from the front entrance. 

Lots of bookstore info displayed in an appealing and easy to read manner, directly to the right after entering. 

And after reading all that bookstore info, your eyes immediately drift below the sign to numerous sidelines. 

Looking directly to the left after entering. 

A portion of the fiction on the right side of the store. 

If you know someone who has a thing for cool caps, you'll find them here. 

ALWAYS happy to see these in bookstores when I travel since I either sit on mine or lose them. 

These are a few of the games available and they can be found throughout the store.  I thought their inventory of games was outstanding. 

At the checkout counter they've strategically placed a variety of chocolates for your impulse buy (oh, and the book wasn't?  uh huh)  Seriously, who could pass this up?

Wide variety of stickers. 

Many nasty and quirky bookstore socks.

Jewelry accessories. 

Just some of the greeting cards offered. 

If you have an artist in the family, Book Keeper has it covered.

Overview of the children's area. 

Another view of the children's area. 

Very handy for visitors to the region. 

Overview of the store looking from the rear of the store toward the front entrance.  Alert readers may recognize Indie Bob Spot logistics director Michelle T. 

This sounds like a terrific kids' game. 

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask your bookstore about gift cards. 

Are fish-hook earrings a thing at your indie?

These uniquely crafted socks look like just the thing for winter weather. 

Cat people rejoice!

With Julie, the fine manager at The Book Keeper.  Thanks for a great visit.