This store is a treasure trove of books, but if you’re inclined towards any sort of OCD, or have an over-developed minimalist gene—you just might hate it. The shelves are literally overflowing with books of all shapes, sizes, and kinds—and not just the shelves—the floor is littered with stacks of books too. It’s dusty, the carpets are threadbare and it’s as far from a shiny Barnes and Noble as you can get.
Put simply— it is a bibliophile’s dream!
If you’re a fan of used books, you’ll feel like a kid in a candy store walking into MacLeod’s.
My husband snapped this shot of me and captured my absolute delight to be surrounded by so many treasures.
The place just smells like an old book, which might be a turn-off for some people, but is part of the joy for me. The staff were really helpful, and located the books by CS Lewis I was searching for in amongst the stacks.
I couldn’t decide whether or not to take the plunge and buy the rather pricey CS Lewis Letters collection, so we adjourned to a nearby cafe. This part of Vancouver must be an indie hipster’s idea of heaven. There are gorgeous vintage stores, along with cute cafes and, of course, bookstores. We went to Finches Tea and Coffee House http://www.finchteahouse.com and enjoyed a coffee and amazing salad before venturing back to MacLeod’s and making my purchases.
The coffee house is filled with vintage furniture and was a fun, creative respite in the busy world of book hunting.
Back to MacLeod’s we went and resumed the hunt for books of interest, and to make a decision as to whether the Letters should be purchased.
The store is sorted into sections and vaguely alphabetized, but there are books piled on the floor, stacked double on the shelves, and cluttering the tops of shelves and windowsills so set aside enough time to browse.
If you are looking for something specific, special, hard-to-find, rare, out-of-print, or first edition, it may be worth calling first. The staff took several phone calls while we were there and every time, they said they would have to look, but promised to return the call by the end of the day.The staff seem to know the general location of books, but also have to go hunting themselves.
They could film an episode of hoarders here for sure!
A fun morning was had exploring MacLeod’s and visiting Finches Tea and Coffee House, along with browsing the thrift and vintage stores in the area.
What did I buy?
More information about MacLeod’s may be found here: http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/macleods-books-vancouver
