Best of Vancouver

Thanks to the readers of the Georgia Straight newspaper for voting us Vancouver's 2nd best bookstore, new or used, in the annual Reader's Choice poll. This is the first time we have ever placed as a "New" bookstore, and we're enormously stoked to be listed alongside longtime Lower Mainland favorites Book Warehouse and Banyen Books.

In other news, it's still incredibly busy here. We've taken in close to 2000 used books in the last three days, and the new arrivals are neatly stacked (well, relatively neatly stacked) all over the floor, and waist-high in front of the "New Arrivals" bookshelves, which are still full, despite having been emptied twice since the weekend.

We have some interesting new books in house, including signed first Canadian editions of John Valliant's The Tiger, available on a first-come, first-served basis. And program guides for the Vancouver International Film Festival ($10, inc. HST).

It's also Locution tonight, a monthly spoken-word event that we host for the UBC Creative Writing department. Tonight from 7-9pm four different UBC MFAs are reading up at Main Street, along with special guest Lee Henderson, author of The Man Game.

Oh, and it's CSA Space's fifth anniversary today too, with a new exhibition of photographs by neighbor and friend Mike Grill. 6-9pm upstairs from the bookstore at #5-2414 Main Street. Drop by, drink a frosty cold beverage, elbow your way through the crowds.

All Those Years Shopping at Independent Bookstore Wasted

"'I put so much time into supporting my quirky local bookshop, with its charming window displays and us-versus-the-world attitude, and for what?' said Brear, adding that she even went through the trouble of befriending the husband-and-wife owners and their cat, Ulysses. 'Countless hours wasted quietly browsing their shelves when I could have just ordered this shit for way cheaper online.'"

Yet More New Arrivals: Folio Society; Easton Press

Absurdly busy in both shops all weekend long. Waist high stacks of books three deep on the floor in front of New Arrivals. Two separate vendors with great stacks of used graphic novels, a nice set of leather bound, 14K gold-edged Easton Press hardcovers, a Folio Society Philip Pullman 3-volume slipcased set, some large format art books and cookbooks, and hundreds of other interesting things.

(Image: Easton Press On The Origin of Species)

Big McSweeney's Collection in @ Main Street

Lots of back issues, maybe twenty in all, including a first printing of #3; #11 with the DVD; the Comics issue with the scarce wrapper and the zine inserts; the issue disguised as a pile of junk mail; the fold-out slipcase with the comb; the tiny books in the shallow tray; and many more. Plus a big stack of Believer back issues, and a few books signed by Dave Eggers, including the somewhat scarce Sacrament (a rewritten-and-expanded version of You Shall Know Our Velocity).

On Sale Tomorrow @ 10am: @GreatDismal's Latest

A Busy Few Weeks @ Both Shops

Early September, back-to-school rush, lots going on in both shops:

• Approx. 750 new graphic novels priced and out on Main Street's shelves

• Approx. 100 "For Beginners" books priced and out at Main Street

• Big collection of hardcover Heidegger titles, including a number of rare and out-of-print titles, purchased and on display behind the desk at Main Street

• Lots of new books in Kitsilano. New books are selling really well in Kits, and we've recently expanded the selection there, so that all the new titles we carry are now available at both stores. No more crosstown treks! Also, lots of new bookshelves going in at Kits as we speak.

• New lease in Kits! We really like the neighborhood, and plan to be in the 3100 block of West Broadway for the forseeable future. Also, huge shout-out to our new neighbors at Baugette & Co., located at 3273 West Broadway, for their awesome coffees, breads, croissants, pastries and chicken-salad sandwiches. Highly recommended by our staff, and a great addition to the neighborhood.

• Lots of quality used stock in Kits. Very few of our friendly West Side competitors seem to be doing much cash buying these days, and we're seeing lots of prime material. Hesse, Vonnegut, Murakami, Palahniuk, Bukowski & multiple etc.

As always, we're buying and trading books on a daily basis. No need to make an appointment; if you're in before 5pm, we will be happy to consider your books for cash purchase or trade. No limit on quantity; we have the interest and financial wherewithal to deal with collections of any size, and are always glad to see you.