The Book Shelf

A truly independent bookstore with an interesting and diverse selection. I could spend hours in this bookstore browsing and reading.

Simply this is one of the finest independent bookstores anywhere, and the staff really know their stuff, and will also go out of their way to assist you with finding
a book as well.
They pick books, that you are not likely going to find on the shelf of Indigo and Chapters. In fact, you could spend the whole day in this place and not be bored.
Gone is the café next door, which is under renovation right now.
Hopefully will open soon.
As a bonus, they have a movie theatre upstairs, and you can pick up a schedule
or go to their website for more info.
Great kids section too btw!

Through the breezeway from Artisanale, I entered a lofty space of warm wood and intriguing titles. Instantly lost in the familiar microcosm of bibliovore oblivion, I browsed happily through the small but select section of children’s books (I’m a collector, I’ll admit). Ended up picking up the complete set of The Spiderwick Chronicles (I knew the artist, years and years ago), and, on my way to the register, got snagged by a new Douglas Coupland novel (the author who popularized the term ‘Generation X’) — hadn’t read one of his in years, but have always found his singular style easy to lose myself in (I end up talking aloud to the characters in his stories). Chatted with the gal at the register about the transition to Canada, about Guelph in particular, then wandered blithely out to the car, the warm contentment of having new books to read like an ember in the heart, chasing away the chill of feeling so lost, so very far from home.