MY MEDALLION
For booklovers, one of life’s greatest joys is time spent browsing the stacks or perusing tables full of books. Thankfully many of the city’s best booksellers have websites where they’ve curated a great selection of titles in every genre. You can shop from the comfort of home, buy gifts for loved ones and maybe even a treat or two for yourself! Here are our favourite Toronto bookstores that deliver to your doorstep.
Type Books
Type Books is an independent bookstore with three locations: Queen West, the Junction, and Forest Hill. They focus on fiction, non-fiction, poetry, cookbooks, art and design, and kids’ lit. Also be sure to check in with their Staff Picks; it’s the inside peek into the minds of their experts, many of whom are writers themselves. Type offers local delivery within downtown Toronto, free in-store pickup at each of their locations, and flat-rate shipping within Canada.
Book City
Book City, another well-known independent, has four locations throughout the city, including the Danforth, the Beach, Bloor West Village, and Yonge and St. Clair. This family-owned business stocks an eclectic range of new and backlist titles, audiobooks, and bargain books. It’s also a great place for stationery, puzzles, toys, games, even face masks! If a particular book is hard to find, they’ll track it down for you and place a special order. Books are organized by subject online so browsing is a joy. Book City offers free curbside pickup, $10 delivery on smaller orders within Toronto, and free delivery on orders over $100.
Ben McNally Books
Ben McNally Books is a general interest bookstore specializing in history, biography, fiction, and poetry. If you want to do some shopping for the holidays, they are currently offering in-store browsing by appointment at their new temporary location on Adelaide Street East.
They do lots of special orders and have contacts in the US and the UK, which allows them to source books that aren’t readily available elsewhere in Canada. While you can’t shop online, books can be ordered by phone or email. Take advantage of curbside pickup or have your order shipped directly to your doorstep.
Another Story Bookshop
Another Story Bookshop is a progressive, independent bookstore in Roncesvalles Village. They offer a wide range of titles for children, youth, and adults, and the emphasis here is on social justice, equity, and diversity. They share staff favourites, as well as themed book lists, which can be particularly helpful for parents, teachers, and educators. This store is a must-stop for anti-racist, anti-oppression, First Nations, Métis and Inuit, 2SLGBTQ+, inclusion, character education, and CanLit titles. There are indoor and outdoor curbside pickup hours, and local delivery is available via Send-It Courier.
A Different Booklist
A Different Booklist in Mirvish Village is a Canadian independent bookstore that stocks gems from all over the world. The African-Canadian-owned bookstore specializes in literature from the African and Caribbean diaspora, as well as the Global South. They offer strong selections of African, African-American, Caribbean, Indigenous, Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern books, across every category you can think of. Titles here are a refreshing reflection of the cultural mosaic that is Canada! While shopping in-store is temporarily unavailable, you can order online for pickup or delivery.
With such an incredible range of quality bookshops in the city, we hope you enjoy browsing and shopping. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to follow the Medallion blog for more arts and culture tips.
