Forgot to pack adequate reading
material before you set out on the high seas? Agonizing over which CDs you’d bring if you were stranded on a desert island? You’re in luck – Montreal is full of hidden gems to satisfy all your reading and listening needs.
The Word
469 Milton
This hole-in-the-wall has been a fixture in the McGill Ghetto since 1975, and boasts an excellent selection of poetry, literature, and classics. For generations of McGill students, this place has felt like home. Also check for used textbooks around the start of term.
Atom Heart
364-B Sherbrooke E.
A small boutique down Sherbrooke with a friendly staff and a collection of new CDs covering the indie/alternative/electronic rock side of the music world. Also check here for concert tickets.
Librairie Michel Fortin
3714 St. Denis
Whether you’re longing to communicate with the natives, or plotting an escape to far-away places, Michel Fortin specializes in books for learning languages.
Cheap Thrills
2044 Metcalfe
A small store full of personality at the top of a crooked purple staircase, Cheap Thrills offers CDs and records – both new and used – concert tickets, and a small, quality selection of used books.
Le Point Vert
4040 St. Laurent
Feeling lost at sea? With magazines and newspapers from all over the world, Le Point Vert will get you oriented and informed in no time – or at least entertained.
Inbeat Records
3814 St. Laurent
A shiny store right on St. Laurent, Inbeat carries vinyls and new CDs featuring hip-hop, house, and disco classics.
L’Échange
713 Mont-Royal E. & 3694 St. Denis
The various locations around the city sell used CDs in addition to a larger stock of francophone books.
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly
211 Bernard O.
Attached to the Montreal-based graphic novels press of the same name, this colourful boutique offers all kinds of beautifully bound visual treats. There’s also an additional choice selection of “traditional” novels and books, from classics to new fiction from local publishers. The store also hosts creative workshops and concerts.
S.W. Welch
225 St. Viateur O.
This bookstore may not be on the Main anymore, but it’s still got the same relaxed, browser-friendly atmosphere. Plus, now you can grab a bagel once literature has tired you out.