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BMV Books
Categories: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Newspapers & Magazines Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Music & DVDs Bookstores, Newspapers & Magazines, Music & DVDs [Edit]
10 Edward StToronto, ON M5G 1C9
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 977-3087
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
19 reviews for BMV Books
19 reviews in English
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Review from Adrienne S.
Toronto, ON
4/2/2012
My go-to independent chain for books.
Because I live in the area, the Edward location is the one I go to the most. But I also love their pop-up on Queent St, and the location at Yonge & Eg. Always cheaper than Chapters/Indigo and World's Biggest Bookstore. Although they may not have the title I'm searching for, I always find that it ends up showing up at some point. So unless I absolutely need to have a specific book, I usually wait and check BMV's selection.
Most books are in great condition and are very reasonably priced. Many are brand new and simply publisher overstocks, otherwise they are gently used. I find they offer a wide selection of books (and this location has an old magazine & large porn movie section too if you're into that). I've also sold some books to BMV; although you don't get a ton of money back, it sure is extra dough in your pocket for books you'll never read again. -
Review from Ayesha A.
1/6/2012
I like to say that, in general I love BMV, but I realized ...I was spoiled by first living near the big one on Bloor Street....the others kinda blow.
I love the idea, the prices, and most of them do have some decent selection - I can definitely find a ton of books I want and don't need but will still buy at any of the locations....it's just that I can walk into this location and not buy something, whereas the Annex one...that can't happen.
I looked for a notebook at this one and the cashier even admitted "yeah this location sucks" -
Review from Marie F.
7/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Though not as large and in charge as its amazing Bathurst location, I actually prefer this BMV for fiction. It has a better selection of my fav authors: Vonnegutt, Salinger, Palahniuk, Coupland, Hesse, Bukowski, Miller, etc...
As for the other sections it's definitely lacking but you can't be all things to all people right? Make sure you stop by here BEFORE going to World' Biggest Bookstore next door. I made the mistake of buying a book there only to find it $12 cheaper at BMV :-( -
Review from Nick P.
Toronto, ON
2/21/2012
I remember when the owner was still working/part owner at ABC bookstore on Yonge st, many years ago. Very nice man who was always friendly to the customers, knew a lot about books/comics. I remember when he first open this location, crazy busy because he was much cheaper than his neighbour. Even today the selection and prices are hard to beat. I still love going there. Abc bookstore and BMV are two of the best used book stores in the G.T.A. Toronto just wouldn't be the same if we lost either one. So why the 3 stars? Two reasons.
1: Some of the people that have been past employees were not customer oriented. Lots of attitude, low on common sense. Happily ALL of them are gone but BMV in a whole has had some bad csr's at their locations in the past. -1 star.
2: They buy books/comics at very low prices,which is good for the customers but not the sellers. They've killed the back issue comic market and offer crazy low prices for 1st appearances like Wolverine's back in Hulk 181. Even Silver Snail offers more money. -1 star.
If you are buying then this place has it all at great prices. If you are selling, this place offers low prices which is not great for you. There's been a few great staff that's been there for ages like the older,grey haired tall guy who prices books. Super nice guy and also a few other nice csr's from Annex/Eglinton but unfortunately a few bad seeds have put a sour taste in a few of my friends mouths over the years. -
Review from Jenny T.
Toronto, ON
7/4/2011
I'm in love. His name is BMV Books.
I don't know why it took so long for me to discover this place, but I'm so glad I've found it. Contrary to what I thought before, BMV does sell new or like-new books. The prices are very reasonable (I mean VERY!) and even cheaper than Amazon (where I use to go to for books.)
This location is not as big as the flagship store on Bloor Street, so the selection is not as great. However, for the price you pay for the books compared to Indigo next door, it's a win! -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
5/13/2011
Everyone else has summed up the buying experience pretty well...I thought I'd share my selling experience.
I'd been holding on to about 10 years worth of MAD Magazines from the 70s. I was in here one day and noticed that they had an area for well displayed and packaged vintage MADs. I asked if they were still buying and they said they were.
I brought them in on a Tuesday, but unfortunately the "comic buyer" was only in on Fridays and Saturdays. Rather than schlep them home, I just left them for him.
On Friday, he called me with the result. They would buy nearly all of them (except for a few damaged ones) and I considered the price very fair. Yesterday, almost a week after getting the call, I dropped in to get my cash and rejects, a transaction that couldn't have been smoother. They were honest, efficient and well organized. Thank you BMV. So long, MADs. -
Review from Andy O.
12/3/2011
If you buy: 5/5
If you sell: 1/5
More about buying:
Most books are priced reasonably and you'll frequently find nice cheap books, especially if they show wear (e.g. I found a copy of "Brave New World" for $3...)
More about selling:
The thing is... even though they sometimes sell books very cheap, what they give you when you sell is still a lot, lot less. It is ridiculous, in fact.
I just went there with 4 books and 3 manga volumes. Two of the books, I bought at their store a couple of months ago for about $25. Were still in the same condition today as the day I bought them. The mangas were even mint-condition, one of them even still wrapped with the original packaging. Value: about $14 per volume new.
So that's a total of $67 (The two books I didn't buy there were rejected).
One might say that half the price would be reasonable. or maybe even $20-25. What I got was $15!! Are you kidding me?! That means ~450% in earnings for them!
So: NEVER sell books there unless you're really desperate! This is the EBGames of books! -
Review from Susan C.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2011
My friend and I were on a book hunt one day - especially bargain ones. Earlier that day, we went to another BMV Books location down at Queen and the selection there amazed us.
However, this location was probably two to three times larger than the one down at Queen, yet it was impossible to find a book that interested us and seem reasonable to make the purchase. I would say the selection isn't the greatest at this location, but it's okay. -
Review from Kat F.
2/23/2010
Back in the day a panhandling Bruce McCulloch was a regular feature just outside BMV's doors.
Go here to buy nearly mint back issues of Adbusters for $5 the same month they're on newsstands for double the price. Ironically the basic literature section is not quite in alphabetical order and it's often tough to find the author you're looking for unless you have Selective Book Spine Memorization™ skills like I do. Canadian authors are separate from all the others, so once again, it's hard to find what you're looking for as I can't always remember who (other than Douglas Coupland and Lucy Maud Montgomery) is Canadian or not.
There is a large cookbook and travel section as well as pornography in the back if for some reason you're clamouring to pay money for it. I usually go for the cookbooks and recently released novels but bring a tote bag otherwise you won't be able to carry all of your sweet finds!
NOTES: Leave your cell phone behind or you'll get chewed out by the staff.Listed in: Badass Bookstores In Toronto
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Review from Payam Z.
4/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
Though not quite as large as what would be the mother-ship store on Bloor St., BMV on Edward and Yonge tends to have a lot more new and new looking books! Maybe this is because people at Yonge and Dundas read less books, maybe it's because they have more bookstores within a small perimeter, or maybe Ryerson students are less abusive to their texts than U of T peeps...let's not get into this discussion!!
When looking for your author of choice, you are likely to find the selection best recommended for courses of the adjacent universities. That being said, prices are great and a lot more reasonable than Indigo. For a better price, I find you often get the same level of advice from the staff and get the same exact book, which means BMV FTW.
I also like the fact that they actually have a decent number of books on sale whenever you go there (and fortunately I don't have to buy a stupid membership card to enjoy the sale!)
The only cons in my view are the somewhat limited selection compared to BMV1 and Indigo and more importantly the chaotic state of the philosophy section (no pun intended).
Drop by if you're in the area...probably one of the better spots to spend money and time in the neighborhood. -
Review from P C.
Toronto, ON
7/19/2011
I was appalled when I went to this BMV Books location recently to sell a good number of my used magazines, many of which were purchased there as used or brand-new.
The owner told me I could leave them there and that I should return in an hour. On the one hand, I appreciated his not telling me to come back on another day, as some used bookstore employees do, as the magazines were quite heavy to carry around, whether on foot or on the TTC. On the other hand, I thought that having to kill a whole hour seemed extreme.
When I returned to the store, the owner had already gone through the magazines and assessed them. I don't know when he took a look at them, but the thought did cross my mind that perhaps he could have told me to come back in half an hour rather than an hour. The dollar amount he offered me was substantially lower than what I was offered and accepted when I was there a month earlier selling similar magazines, so I declined to accept the most recent offer. On the previous visit, I had even fewer magazines but was offered 60% more by a store employee than what I was offered recently by the owner. Doesn't make sense.
BMV Books is one of a number of used bookstores in the city that demand you go into the store if you're selling a lot of books, magazines, etc. While I understand that a staff member may have a hard time telling you over the phone whether your items will be purchased without the items being viewed yet, many of these individuals often can't even give you a straight answer as to whether their stores are even interested in purchasing your types of books and magazines. No regard is given to the time it takes someone to bring the items in and lug them around; I have found this indifference to customers at both this location and the Annex location whenever I have called to find out whether the store was interested in buying certain types of books and magazines. -
Review from Slayermel L.
Toronto, ON
3/22/2009
The "BMV" book store is a great place to find books you have always wanted to read at very cheep prices. You can find both new and used books. The new books go at about half the cover price, and I have found great classics such as "Sense & Sensibility" by Jane Austen for as cheep as $2.99.
This particular location has a pretty good size comic collection as well as a back area where they sell porn. :op
I prefer the larger location on Bloor St. for their layout and because I have a better chance of finding what I'm looking for. The owner of the location at Eglington & Young is also very welcoming and helpful.
Great chain of stores.
The only down side to this location is the crazy guy who sits out on the street and constantly yells at you, but we won't hold that against the store, not their problem. -
Review from Kate E.
Toronto, ON
8/15/2010
I love this place. You'll find a lot of great books, plus a LOT of incredibly random, far-out ones as well. Last year I did all my Christmas shopping here!
My only complaint is the size of the place, & the poor layout - don't go during rush hour! -
Review from Kim B.
ON
1/15/2009 11 photos
This is like the nerdy perverted younger brother to BMV books on Bloor...and I say that in an endearing way.
It's nerdy because of its amazing comic book collection and old magazines and comic book guides. It's perverted because of it's wall-o-porn DVDs in the back.
And although smaller than BMV on Bloor, its selection of books etc. is still impressive and CHEAP. Four stars, because if there's one thing I like more than porn, it's cheap porn.Listed in: Book Nooks
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Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
12/23/2008
BMV is a great place for cheap books. Sometimes I love the "new book" smell, and sometimes I want a cheap book that has been loved. BMV is where you come for the latter.
I took a bunch of English courses in university and bought a bunch of my novels from here so I didn't have to spend $30 per book at the Ryerson bookstore. They've got most of the classics, as well as a bunch of rare gems that you'll find if you look for long enough.
It's a tiny place, but it also makes it more manageable. A good place to browse, but head over to the Bloor location if you're searching for something specific. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
9/18/2008
When you're beside the worlds biggest bookstore (namely, "The World's Biggest Bookstore" [http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), it'd be easy for people to miss you as they walk by. BMV stands for "Books-Magazines-Videos" and sells both new and used copies of all videos that they have. This appears to be a decent haven for the Nerds among us, as when I lined up to make my purchase, I could not help but overhear three separate discussions about the new Battlestar Galactica series.
You will definitely be able to find items here that are not available in most other similar types of stores. Their 'Comedy' DVD section is the one that got me, where I found not one but two copies of the "ASSSCAT" improv DVD that I stumbled across. Heard of them before? Neither have I. But they were in the Comedy section and it turned out to be fantastic.
This would be a place I'd start if I had hard-to-get books, magazines, or videos I wanted to get my hands on.Listed in: Born to Shop
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Review from Alejandro A.
Toronto, ON
12/17/2008
This BMV is much smaller than its sister on Bloor. It's much more cramped and altogether feels as it should: like a used book store.
The staff here is fairly knowledgeable, some more helpful than others. If you ask the guy at the back desk (not the cashier), he can usually help you find (or at least point you in the right direction) what you're looking for, if they have it.
The store is located directly next door to the World's Biggest Bookstore, which is both good and bad. I'm sure it results in a lot of business going next door. That said, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who often goes into World's Biggest, sees something interesting and then goes next door to BMV to see if it's for sale. BMV's prices are that much better than regular retail that I find the power to assert my lazy self into doing such things. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
I tend to visit BMV every two weeks or so to check out what they've put out on the tables. I don't find the staff to be especially useful and I'd recommend coming here for an author you have in mind and then browsing to your heart's content. The prices are good; you'll find publisher overstock at 50% or more off and a fair chunk of used titles. Selection consists of fiction, science fiction, literature, school textbooks, language, and travel guides (well, at least the sections that I stick to).
They have porn, magazines, and movies as well but my main focus is books when I pay them a visit.
One particularly interesting visit was when I witnessed a fist fight between a patron and a clerk. The layout of the shop can be a bit cramped in certain spaces so they often stack books in the aisle (but close to existing fixtures). This patron found one of these piles to be difficult to negotiate which angered him so he proceeded to knock additional books over as he left the store (think clothes-lining: http://en.wikipedia.or...). The clerk didn't appreciate that so he literally kicked him while he passed through the door on the way out. This paved the way for a full on fist fight that lasted a good 2-3 minutes until some brute of a delivery guy was able to break it up.
While this was happening we all watched in awe as the action unfolded. When it was over, the clerk walked into the back to clean off his blood adorned face and exclaimed "just another day". -
Review from Tiffany S.
Toronto, ON
1/5/2010
BMV is a must-stop on my list if I am venturing down Edward Street. The selection is great for a used book store and it is well organized and clean. The staff are helpful if approached and usually know if they have what you are looking for. I recommend BMV for book-lovers looking to pick-up well known titles for a lot less than retail.
