Bookstores
Balfour Books
Balfour Books, in its new, smaller, location at 468 College St (west of Bathurst), almost doesn't seem like a used bookstore. Sure, there is a dollar bin right outside the entrance, but unlike used bookstore powerhouse BMV, there is hardly any other feature promoting the store's low prices.
In fact, there is something almost defiantly non-commercial about Balfour's book pricing. Books are priced $4 and $35, rather than $3.99 or $34.99, for example, and the original prices are either blacked out or cut off. This has the interesting effect of making the used book price appear to be the book's only, original price. Buy the book for the content, Balfour Books seems to say, not for the discount.
The atmosphere is relaxed, and while the space is small, books are set up neatly, gallery style, with hardcover and coffee table selections in alcove displays. That, owner Joyce Blair told me, was a far cry from the state of the building only a few weeks ago. After fifteen years at College and Clinton, Balfour Books decided it was cheaper to just buy a space rather than continue paying rent. They bought the building at 468 College from Gamelle (a French restaurant) which, though it had been closed for a long time, still left behind equipment that the bookstore staff had to remove.
How do they like the new location? "It's more a daytime crowd," Joyce said, observing that their previous neighbourhood had more nightclubs, and so they were busier at night. "But it's hard to tell. We've only been open two weeks."
One feature that has remained from the previous location is the wooden Scrabble tiles spelling out the genres on the shelves. Perhaps it's because I'm a word nerd, but I love the look of those tiles - discreet and intellectually playful. The book selection and presentation are also impressive. A lot of the art and coffee table books for example are kept in very good condition with plastic-wrapped covers.
Balfour Books also features fairly new releases. I found Roberta Pianaro's Brunetti's Cookbook, which was published just this year, and features recipes based on scenes from Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti mysteries. It's a beautiful hardcover book, with excerpts from Leon's mysteries, and a bargain at $12. For those who may have enjoyed Nora Ephron's interview with Jian Giomeshi earlier this month, I found her latest collection of essays, I Remember Nothing, in one of the displays.
Balfour Books also carries DVDs for rent, though unfortunately, none for sale. DVD cases are shelved in the far corner of the store and behind the cash register.
Finally, one factor that should set a small bookstore apart is its staff, and the sales associate I encountered at Balfour Books was efficient and helpful. She seemed genuinely apologetic when I asked about a book they didn't have in stock, and encouraged me to drop by again. Convenient location, good books, and wooden Scrabble tiles - I'll definitely be back.
Open daily from 11am - 8pm.
Writing by Jaclyn M. Qua-Hiansen. Photos by Dennis Marciniak.
Discussion
28 Comments
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Personally, I've never had a problem with the staff, in fact I've always found them to be very friendly (in a laid-back sort of way). I particularly like the fact that you're left alone to browse without 'helpful' interruption. Maybe that's a matter of preference.
I think of bookstores as the place where we should be protected from the hard sell and retail voice of a place like Chapters. I don't think Christina's the only one who wants to be left alone to browse.
They generally don't approach you at Balfour, but I find if you go them they're fine. I do feel as if they could stand to be a bit more welcoming though-their business model is precarious.
I remember when they used to always buy the Mirvish art book remainders and then double the prices - I haven't been back in years (I'll check out the new location though and see if anything has changed).
It's unfortunate that this place is one of the few surviving small used book shops in town.
A friend and I were browsing, when he accidentally knocked a precariously balanced book off the shelf-- to which the lady chimed in: "Thank you, Thank you" in a VERY sarcastic tone.
Minutes later, at the other end of the bookstore, a couple was browsing, when the man knocked a book off the shelf. His partner started laughing-- the lady behind the counter replied "oh, so it's funny now?" to which the woman answered "I'm laughing because I am embarrassed".
It's a used book store. Books fall. It's going to happen.
Lose the attitude lady.
I'll stick to MY favourite book store on College-- She Said Boom. Best. Used Bookstore. Ever.
A friend and I were browsing, when he accidentally knocked a precariously balanced book off the shelf-- to which the lady chimed in: "Thank you, Thank you" in a VERY sarcastic tone.
Minutes later, at the other end of the bookstore, a couple was browsing, when the man knocked a book off the shelf. His partner started laughing-- the lady behind the counter replied "oh, so it's funny now?" to which the woman answered "I'm laughing because I am embarrassed".
It's a used book store. Books fall. It's going to happen.
Lose the attitude lady.
I'll stick to MY favourite book store on College-- She Said Boom. Best. Used Bookstore. Ever.
chalk one more up on the "rude service" list.
A friend and I were browsing, when he accidentally knocked a precariously balanced book off the shelf-- to which the lady chimed in: "Thank you, Thank you" in a VERY sarcastic tone.
Minutes later, at the other end of the bookstore, a couple was browsing, when the man knocked a book off the shelf. His partner started laughing-- the lady behind the counter replied "oh, so it's funny now?" to which the woman answered "I'm laughing because I am embarrassed".
It's a used book store. Books fall. It's going to happen.
Lose the attitude lady.
I'll stick to MY favourite book store on College-- She Said Boom. Best. Used Bookstore. Ever.
What is the point of even being "stand offish" at a USED bookstore? These establishments are barely making rent every month and I'm not just speaking on Balfour but ALL of them.
The owners of these places need to be grateful for the traffic alone and should greet and each customer (with a sincere smile) like its going to be their last.
They are all just bitter because things are not what it used to be 30, 20, hey even 10 years ago with all the possible options there are to shop for reads.
If I were one of these owners I would be serving complimentary hot apple cider in the winter and soda, squeezed lemon and ice in the summer just to lure in customers. IT IS A FIGHT TO SUCCEED IN THIS MEDIUM!!
I don't know maybe I'm just too passionate on proper retail customer service or are they just tired of being "cheated on" with Amazon from all these years..
That said, as a self-published writer, I generally love any independent bookstore. Especially now that I'm getting more and more into CanLit, you need places like this to carry your work.
My next book is about the Toronto waterfront, and I'm blogging about the publishing process on my website www.jakebabad.com.
I bought almost exclusively hard-cover books, in terrific shape at reasonable prices. I'll be back to sift through the racks of paperbacks when I'm done reading today's purchases. Looks like Balfour coffee-table books, too, for those who decorate coffee-tables. The children's books are in surprisingly good shape and I saw no crap in Balfour's display. There's a very cute duckie chair for young'uns which looks like the one my dad made from a Canadian Tire kit circa 1960.
My experience makes me wonder if others who posted negative comments are impressed by [trained-into-the brain] cheeriness -- or just obnoxious themselves. I ignored the curmudgeonly comments on this site because I was going to be in the neighbourhood anyway; I'm very glad I did.
The store presents itself in a first-rate fashion. Good light, attractive, well-organized and -stocked. Airy. Pleasant, like the guy behind the counter.
The new space is more compact, but I think easier to rummage through. My son sits on the duck chair and plows through their small but interesting kids' section while Daddy tries to find the latest in history, economics and science books. And usually succeeds.
Long life and prosperity to Balfour Books.
"Matt replying to a comment from randy / December 3, 2010 at 09:09 am
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They're not rude, they're just a bit stand-offish. Whatever. If I want perky perky customer service drones I'll go to Indigo. (Where a good friend of mine works, by the way, and can't stand the con"
Listen MATT why would Randy or others on here want 'perky perky' --what--we only have 2 choices? Its either rude/ or standoffish or perky perky? how about just being a decent person huh?
And using 'whatever' in a sentence just screams 'jackass' you jackass.
I have shopped at used bookstores before I was published and the stores that survive are the ones staffed by honest to goodness human beings.
Eliot's Bookshop is the staffed by humans and so is she said boom.