Welcome to Booktown: Vancouver retailers join forces for Canadian Independent Bookstore Day

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The pandemic has made for a challenging year for retailers of all kinds, and booksellers are no exception. Saturday is Canadian Independent Bookstore Day, a way to support them.

Kelly McKinnon is the co-owner of KidsBooks, one of a number of Vancouver shops taking part. She is grateful for all the support, especially since COVID-19 hit.

“It’s been challenging to run a retail business during this last year and during the pandemic. But I would say that business has been very good, even in the periods where we were closed for browsing, we had a lot of curbside business and we really felt the community embrace.”

She hopes that support continues on Saturday. McKinnon agrees, it’s a lot like Record Store Day (but for books).

“Yeah! I think that’s a really good parallel. It’s just a day to mark that all of these bookstores are vibrant parts of our community and we ask everyone to come and support them and see them all.”

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McKinnon adds the city is something of a haven for bibliophiles.

“Vancouver is really becoming Booktown,” she explains. “Our store is almost 40 years old, we have a couple of stores that are in their 50s, but we have lots of new young stores like Upstart & Crow and Massy Books and Iron Dog. So, it’s a very vibrant community.”

In all, nine Vancouver bookstores are participating. Kidsbooks, Massy Books, Iron Dog Books, The Paper Hound, Hager Books, Book Warehouse (both locations), Banyen Books, and Upstart & Crow. You can enter a draw for a gift card that is redeemable at any one of them.

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