Russell Books
A many-floor downtown bookstore for serious browsing and accidental gifts.
Canada's largest used bookstore, with an escalator between the floors.
A third-generation family business the Russells brought to Fort Street in 1991, two decades after the first shop opened in Montreal. In 2019 they moved a million-odd books across the street into an old Staples: two floors, 18,000 square feet, shelves run floor to ceiling. It is the rare bookstore you ride an escalator into. Used spines sit next to new releases, remainders, and antiquarian finds, so the hunt is never over. Built for the kind of browser who blocks off an afternoon and means it.
The move
Take the escalator up, then work the used and bargain tables on your way down, where the clearance markdowns hide. Bring a title if you must, but the point is leaving with three you never came for. The children's section punches well above its size.
Go when
A grey, rainy weekday afternoon, when you want the floors to yourself and time to dig. Saturdays downtown get busy and the good browsing spots fill. Trading in books? Book the appointment first.
Known for
Perfect for