Indigo Books Music & Cafe

For someone who’s on the road all the time, this is a terrific spot to work in some peace and quiet, especially in the summer when their patio upstairs opens up. I’ve done my month end reports in 3 hours straight one time, but I’ll digress.
Ambience-​wise, it’s the least fun, compared to the Robson one, which btw, will be closed soon, or the South Granville one, which is my personal favourite. The main floor feels like a basement/​warehouse, with all its chocolates, home décor, candles, kitchen gadgets, etc.
But upstairs, wow, this is where it gets fun. Lots of sectioned off areas to work/​read books.
And the magazine section much less busier than the Vancouver ones, so it’s time to read and browse in peace.
My favourite seating, way up in the far corner, though does have a major caveat: no outlets. Which is good for me, rarely anyone up there, luckily I’ve got 2 laptops lol.
Plus, the washrooms, at least for the men’s, is the biggest and cleanest ;)

I definitely will not be headed back to the Marine Drive location if I ever need any crafting books. To begin with the section isn’t even marked, they’ve shoved three whole bookcases worth of a jumbled mess off to a back corner. Selection is mediocre, organization is non-​existing and it looks messy. It’s not as though everything is all neatly shelved incorrect; things are lying on top of books, sticking out, shelved on their sides. How can any staff member show a potential customer that section and then walkaway never to be seen again? This, combined with the incorrect hours posted for the Park Royal location, has once again, made my case for shopping on-​line. PS — you’re not a café, if there’s no café on the premises anymore.

If you are looking to purchase a book and you do not want to take the chance that a smaller store does not have the title you are looking for this is the place for you. This store is pretty darn big with a very impressive selection of books for you to choose from. They have everything from your standard horror to hiking to biographies.
Some people like using digital readers for their books but I am not one of them. I would rather take a walk to the store pick up a novel and flip the pages. This store gives me the opportunity to take that simple pleasure of holding my book in my hands and flipping the pages.

Indigo is part of the whole Chapters/​Coles empire, so they have pretty much the same selection as any other chain store you’re going to find in this town. That is to say, everything is bland and safe and sanctioned by the powers-​that-​be that run the place back East, and the locally published and indie books are almost stocked by accident. But hey, if you’re after the latest bestseller written up in the Globe and Mail or the newest Oprah-​approved title, they’ll have it in bulk, maybe even at a discount.
What really irks me about this particular store is how when you’re coming down the escalator to the cash desk on the main floor, they’ve designed it so you have to walk past all the gifty crap and cards in order to get to the cashier, or out of the store. It’s such a naked attempt at getting my impulse dollar, such a calculated attempt at mercenary merchandising, it just makes me sick. It’s so … obvious.
Come to think of it, the downtown Chapters store does that as well. I refuse to buy their overpriced scented candles or pocket Japanese rock gardens or what have you, simply because they’re in my way. Stupid corporate bookstore marketing.
It’s a good bookstore in which to kill time, but those last impressions can really kill you.