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A New Chapter for BMV Books

By Mark Medley

2006_12_01bmv.jpgLast night, while out for a stroll, Torontoist stumbled upon a brand-new, two-story bookstore just east of Brunswick. It was rather late at night, yet the line-up at the cash register was still over twenty people deep. Lo and behold, it’s the newest location for one of the city’s finest used bookstores, BMV Books. You may recall it was announced this past summer that a new location was being built in the Annex, and yesterday was the grand opening.
It looks like bibliophiles in the city have a new Mecca. And just in time for Christmas, too.
The newest location of BMV Books is at 471 Bloor St. W.

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  • http://hame.ca/one/ Hamish Grant

    Hey, I checked that out last night too. Around 11pm. Anyway, good to see they’ve expanded from their dingy location next to World’s Biggest. Book City could use some competition although it should be remembered BMV is not a “new” book bookstore, it’s overstock and used only. Dunno if they’re continuing to purchase used books?
    I checked out the shelves – there’s a lot of hidden-gem type stuff that BMV have been hiding in anticipation of their expansion so it’s a bibliophile’s delight right now. There’s a good little stack of LaserDiscs in the DVD section too. Word to the wise: get in there quick ‘cuz it’ll be picked clean within a month or two.

  • Mark Medley

    Yeah, the selection is very, very good right now. I got a hold of 7 novels, including some first editions, for 50 bucks. And the DVD selection seemed pretty strong compared to the Edward Street location. Since I’m only a five minute walk from Edward, that’s still my go-to bookstore (along with Eliot’s) but this new BMW is great. Reminds me of the Strand in NY.

  • Gloria

    Yay! Thanks for the heads-up … I wasn’t sure when it was opening.
    Remember there’s also a BMV at Yonge and Eglinton.

  • Steph A

    It opened? (The sign out front said “Opening October 2006″ for AGES!)

  • Athena

    I usually go to the Yonge and Eg. one. Lots of love for the BMV…

  • Mark Medley

    Yeah, yesterday was the grand opening.

  • http://www.delineated.com Carrie

    I used to not be able to pass the BMV at Yonge/Eg without having to go in (and buy something 75% of the time), but the last few times I’ve gone in, the guy behind the counter was a complete dick, so I’ve stopped going. Shame.

  • rek

    Is BMV part of the omnibook hyperconglomo ChaptersIndigoColesWBBBS?

  • Gloria

    No, it’s independent.

  • http://www.publicspace.ca/sidewalksale.htm Jonathan

    I recently got my film theory textbook at the Yonge-Eglinton BMV for around $9, whereas if I had purchased it new it would have been over a hundred. Sure, it’s an earlier edition by ten years, but it’s not like Eisenstein’s writing anything new these days.

  • http://storms.typepad.com patricia

    Nuts. Can’t believe I missed the opening. Thanks for the reminder about this store, though! Looking forward to checking it out…

  • http://www.stephenyoung.ca Stephen

    As much as I appreciate new bookstore in my area, I can’t get over the fact that this place was purposely built as inaccessible! How, in this day and age, can a business afford to exclude every disabled patron in the area! BMV is now the only store along the strip with a step/podium on the way in. On top of that, there are three steps halfway in on the main floor! Why couldn’t they have put a cut-in on the front podium, like any curb in the city? Why couldn’t they have put a small ramp along with the stairs on the main floor! They spent months building this place, you can’t tell me that they couldn’t of put these things in during construction. Yes, an elevator would of been expensive, but that’s not what I’m asking for. Its really sad that they can get away with this (Yo, City of Toronto) and that they don’t even acknowledge my complaint (they just brushed me off as if it wasn’t important). I know I won’t be patrionizing the place, and I was looking forward to it opening too.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstopping David Topping
  • Blk & proud

    I checked out this store last night. It is a nice addition to the area. But anyone who thinks this is a “new Mecca” for books doesn’t know much about books (its history/war section is decent though). It mostly has common stuff; the stock is by no means exceptional.
    I think Atticus Books (at the corner of Harbord and Spadina) is the real book Mecca in the area, and possibly the city (though, sadly, it is a little expensive). (To forestall speculation, let me add that I am unaffilated with Atticus).

  • Gloria

    That’s the building? They were responsible for the awesome makeover? Nice.

  • Blk & proud

    I checked out this store last night. It is a nice addition to the area. But anyone who thinks this is a “new Mecca” for books doesn’t know much about books (its history/war section is decent though). It mostly has common stuff; the stock is by no means exceptional.
    I think Atticus Books (at the corner of Harbord and Spadina) is the real book Mecca in the area, and possibly the city (though, sadly, it is a little expensive). (To forestall speculation, let me add that I am unaffilated with Atticus).

  • Mark Medley

    I use the term book mecca loosely. I prefer it to Atticus for fiction – at least the Edward St. location. It seems anytime I have a book in mind, or an author, I’ll check them out and they’ll have it, or at least something related. Eliot’s is still my favourite, just because it looks like a used book store, and smells like one.

  • love:hate

    i’ve been waiting for them to open this location for a while now and have been quite excited … but I finally get there and what do i see…
    it’s not wheelchair accessible… !!!!
    if yr not in a chair or know ppl that are then maybe you don’t care.. but it’s a big deal.
    and it’s especially enraging, given that they just spent all this time remodeling the store, there is lots of room inside, and they’re a used bookstore which to me signals that they put at least some thought into things…
    who builds a new store front in toronto these days going out of their way to make it not accessible…???
    anyway if u at all care about such things … pls make some comments to the staff the next time you are in… I did and they just got all quiet and uncomfortable and said they would pass it on.
    which i guess makes me more chafed at them, cause come on now. be like oh yeah i see what you mean, or oh sht my bosses screwed up. but to look at me like i’m making a big deal out of nothing.
    —end rant here —-

  • love:hate

    just reading the other comments now …
    and saw yours stephen … my experience exactly …
    and there is so much space in there…

  • Ed Bil

    Why doesn’t BMV post the hours they,re open
    in their 3 stores ?

  • tristan

    how does one get to this new location via Subway? Thanks