We’ve been hearing lots of great news about local bookstores and booksellers over the past few weeks. Here are some highlights.
Iron Dog Books launches as new mobile store
Iron Dog Books is a mobile bookstore with used, remaindered and new books less than two months old (just a puppy!). Launched in December 2017, Iron Dog is already picking up steam, setting up shop at SFU Burnaby two days a week—Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Cornerstone town square. They are also attending special events as a pop-up bookstore, and have several programs to give back to the community.
Massy Books secures new location
When Massy Books opened their storefront on Main Street at 6th Avenue in Vancouver, they knew it wasn’t going to be a permanent location. Recently, the building has had “development permit” signs affixed to it—an all-too-common occurrence in Vancouver.
Last week, Massy Books announced they’ve found a new permanent location in Chinatown at 229 East Georgia. They’ll be opening in March and their new neighbours include Arsenal Pulp Press, 221A Artist Centre, and Access Gallery. And the new location is fully accessible!
(P.S. Massy is having a warehouse sale next weekend.)
People’s Co-op has a new lease on life
After a sad announcement in December that the People’s Co-op Bookstore of Vancouver was going to close, we have recently heard that it will stay open! At a special general meeting on January 8, co-op members approved a plan to initiate and develop a solid foundation to allow the store to carry on into the future. People’s Co-op was started in 1945, and has been at its present location on Commercial Drive in Vancouver since 1983. Measures are now being developed to expand the needed stock of new books, while donations of used books will continue to be gratefully accepted and sold at the store. To thank their many friends and supporters over the years, People’s Co-op will continue its 50 percent off sale until the end of January.
Indigo reopening in downtown Vancouver
Nearly three years after closing its flagship location at Robson and Howe, Indigo is returning to Robson Street. The new store will be at 1033 Robson, between Burrard and Thurlow, in a space recently vacated by Forever 21. The two-storey 29,000 square-foot store will include sections for lifestyle and gift, IndigoKids, and in-house cafe, to “reflect Indigo’s full new concept,” says the media release.
“When we made the decision to leave our well-loved Robson street Chapters store, we promised our customers that as soon as we could, we would be back,” Indigo CEO Heather Reisman stated in the media release.
The IndigoSpirit store on Granville Street will remain open.
Raven Reads embraces Indigenous artists
Raven Reads is a newly-launched quarterly Canadian subscription box of Indigenous reads, giftware and jewelry delivered to your doorstep. The Vancouver-based subscription service by Nicole McLaren “has everything to do with reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions calls to action for all Canadians. It is meant to allow you to create a safe space for you to learn about other cultures, learn a little bit of history, and try out fascinating products by other Indigenous entrepreneurs from around the globe!”
2 replies on “News Bites: Booksellers on the move”
Such great news about People’s Co-op, and I can’t wait to see Massy Books’ new place!
If you are heading east to check out Iron Dog, may I suggest that after you thoroughly enjoy the adventure of book buying in her awesome truck, that you also come to Port Coquitlam to check out our store, Western Sky Books! We just opened in November 2017. We sell used and some new, and we host several literary events each month. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and our website, http://www.westernskybooks.com
Yay indie bookstores!!
Massy Books is a beautiful store, finely curated and hosting book talks, most recently by Annalee Newitz: “Autonomous”. Fantastic writing and lovely to have an author read. We need more of this. Looking forward to new location and more books and reading.