"Books are my souvenirs, bookstores my pilgrimage sites. So for a traveler like me, who can spend hours savoring stacks and shelves, Toronto's close to Shangri-La. A massive student population, a buy-local ethos and strong neighborhood ties mean that a vibrant homegrown bookstore culture still thrives here," wrote Michael Kaminer in a Washington Post travel feature headlined "In Toronto, bingeing on books."
Noting that the Canadian Booksellers Association Web site lists more than 50 non-chain bookstores in the greater Toronto area, Kaminer observed that "the sheer range of outlets makes Toronto one of the last places on the continent where an honest-to-goodness bookstore vacation--unhurried browsing, languid leafing, cheerful chats with passionate proprietors--still feels possible."
Alison Fryer, owner of the Cookbook Store, said, "We don't have that many chain stores. The stores we do have are community-based. We're lucky to have a lot of readers and a lot of support."
