This is the store that all literati love to hate but upon closer examination can always be seen reading a new classic on the comfortable couches and chairs found at this big but manageable bookstore. It is not the corporate demon that it is made out to be but rather has a large and varied selection of books and cd-rooms to suit any fancy. The prices are competitive and if you can't find what you're looking for, it can almost certainly be ordered at the special orders desk on the second level. Also handy, is an adjoining Starbucks to help quench your thirst after all that exhaustive book searching. As mentioned earlier, being able to read a book as long as you like and not be yelled at to hurry up and make a purchase is a definite plus.
Chapters also has one of the best selection of magazines in the city.
They have something for every designer in your life. It has survived every attempt to close it down and still faces repeated seizures of books by such radical authors as Jane Rule and Oscar Wilde. For an interesting history on censorship and book seizures by Customs Canada they are sure to stock copies of Forbidden Passages . If you are looking for academic theory on culture, difference or transgression look no further. Nicholas Hoare has to be considered one of the most beautiful bookshops in the city, all high ceilings and hardwood floors and a comfortable couch for reading.