6 Best Rare book stores in Canada
Best Rare book stores in Canada
At a glance
Data updated: September 2026
- Places listed
- 6
- Average rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Reviews
- 1,232
- Rated 4.5 or higher
- 67%
- With a website
- 83%
6 best Rare book stores in Canada compared
| Rank | Place | Score | Rating | Reviews | 5★ share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | The Scribe Bookstore | 4.84 | 4.9 | 114 | 93% |
| #2 | Seekers Books | 4.69 | 4.7 | 498 | 84% |
| #3 | The Book Emporium | 4.52 | 4.5 | 90 | 67% |
| #4 | Book Bazaar | 4.51 | 4.5 | 289 | 71% |
| #5 | All Books | 4.43 | 4.4 | 148 | 68% |
| #6 | The Bookman | 4.20 | 4.1 | 93 | 52% |
LocalGuideWorld score: the average rating weighted by the number of reviews, so a 4.8 from 2,000 reviews ranks above a 5.0 from 3 reviews.
Best for
How the places are rated
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★ 4.5 – 5.04 places (67%)
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★ 4.0 – 4.42 places (33%)
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★ 3.5 – 3.90 places (0%)
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★ < 3.50 places (0%)
What reviewers talk about
Share of 48 recent reviews that mention each topic.
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Service & staff65%
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Price & value33%
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Atmosphere13%
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Location6%
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Waiting & crowds6%
Top Cities for Rare book store in Canada
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All Books
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The Scribe Bookstore
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Seekers Books
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The Book Emporium
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The Bookman
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Book Bazaar
Quick facts
- How many places in the “Rare book store” category are listed in Canada?
- There are 6 places in the “Rare book store” category in Canada on LocalGuideWorld.
- What are the 6 best places in the “Rare book store” category in Canada?
- By LocalGuideWorld score: The Scribe Bookstore, Seekers Books, The Book Emporium, Book Bazaar, All Books.
- Which place in the “Rare book store” category in Canada has the highest rating?
- The Scribe Bookstore, rated 4.9 out of 5 based on 114 reviews.
- Which place in the “Rare book store” category in Canada has the most reviews?
- Seekers Books, with 498 reviews.
- What is the average rating of places in the “Rare book store” category in Canada?
- 4.5 out of 5 on average, based on 1,232 reviews.
Reviews
It’s like stepping into another time period, in a absolutely fantastic way. You can tell that there is a lot of heart put in to the place.
I spent 30+ minutes there and only scratched the surface.
I missed out on the basement, which is apparently all history.
The guy running it is awesome, 5/5 customer service and was quite helpful finding me some Icelandic/ Old Norse Sagas. Seems like a very knowledgeable human being.
When I go back to Ottawa, I’m going there first thing, I have some unfinished business.
I spent 30+ minutes there and only scratched the surface.
I missed out on the basement, which is apparently all history.
The guy running it is awesome, 5/5 customer service and was quite helpful finding me some Icelandic/ Old Norse Sagas. Seems like a very knowledgeable human being.
When I go back to Ottawa, I’m going there first thing, I have some unfinished business.
Yes, you have to be a bit of a self-sufficient shopper, but that's part of the fun. If you go in open-minded, you'll find more books than you can carry out. I love browsing in here, and find lots of books under $10
Super kind owner, wonderful selection, nicely organized
This store is a book lover's dream! Great experience with the staff as well
Great collection of books, especially on spirituality. The shop owner had tremendous knowledge and passion for books and was very friendly.
Love to visit here for the orange cat named Churchill. This charming fur-ball graciously accepts pets.
Love to visit here for the orange cat named Churchill. This charming fur-ball graciously accepts pets.
My girlfriend and I stop at this bookstore anytime we have the chance because she is an avid reader and I am a philosophy student. We always find something interesting to take home and the same gentleman at the counter is always happy to help us find what we need. I even found niche philosophy books in french that were very affordable. I love this quirky goldmine of never ending books!
The owner is very warm and friendly. I purchased The Green Mile by Stephen King...a six bounded pack!!!
I hate to leave such a low rating, as I do typically enjoy this store. The selection may not be what you would find at a big store like Indigo, but I have found plenty of hidden gems. The man who owns it is lovely and I have had some wonderful chats with him. And there's even an adorable cat! However, there is one aspect of this shop that ruins the entire experience for me - a female worker who is downright hostile. She is incredibly rude, speaking harshly to customers and at times treating me like I am an errant child (ie telling me off for the grave sin of pointing out the bookstore cat to my friend while he was sleeping, which was apparently equivalent to maliciously waking him up). She's also likes to stare at my friends and I while we are browsing, making us incredibly uncomfortable - we feel as if she is just waiting for us to start shoving books into our bags or something. Honestly, her behavior makes me want to find a different bookstore to frequent, which is immensely saddening to me as I once considered the shop one of my favorites.
A beautiful store with passionate staff! The $5 shelves are packed with fun finds. I really enjoy browsing the collection here.
A new favourite !! This used bookstore has a HUGE selection of classics among other genres, you would be certain to find what you’re looking for. The staff was also remarkably friendly and agreeable, offering me their help and thoughts (which I thoroughly enjoyed) regarding my selection of books. I only wish I had discovered this bookstore sooner… I will certainly be back whenever I’m in Ottawa again !
The old man running the store is very kind and super friendly. Good selection of books as well. Good rare finds.
By far the best used book store on the Danforth, with an awesome collection of vintage and collectable books. We got to meet the owner, who is extremely knowledgeable and obviously an expert on rare books. The shelves are well organized and chock full of great titles, not filler like many other used book shops do. There is a "mini book museum" on the second floor that any book lover should not miss! It is one of those places you almost don't want to recommend and keep the secret to your greedy self. Love it.
Came here on a whim while passing and the name, it's out of way location (tucked into a basement unit if a building) is what got my attention. I walked away with an armful of books. They have an impressive selection of books on all subjects and I love how reasonably priced everything is. Owner is very knowledgeable and helpful. I could sped days here! I'll be back.
Side note: they have a very cute ginger cat
Side note: they have a very cute ginger cat
Three of us spent way more time in here than expected. Lots of choice and we really appreciated how things were organized. Left with a stack of books for the rainy days on our trip to the area. Service was also helpful and friendly.
This is the place where your book hunt ends. Has a wide variety of books, including the classics on all kind of subjects.
You must visit The Scribe Bookstore on the Danforth. A very deep selection of Vintage and Rare books combined with some real bargains from their ongoing patio sale - beautiful finds from 1 - 5 dollars. Friendly service from knowledgable people. Located across from The Big Carrot.
It's the best place to go for used and classic books. Good deals can be arranged. Lots of children's books, DVDs, CDs and audio books. Friendly clerks can help you with what you're looking for and if they don't have it, they can let you know if something similar comes in.
It has that classic old used book shop vibe so expect a bit of disorder and books in bags or boxes.
It has that classic old used book shop vibe so expect a bit of disorder and books in bags or boxes.
The worker was very helpful about getting the books I needed. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Selection is fantastic for such a small store and interestingly very organized. Love this place