- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
The Book Bazaar
Category: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Bookstores [Edit]
417 Bank StOttawa, ON K2P 1Y6
(613) 233-4380
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Sun 1 pm - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
4 reviews for The Book Bazaar
4 reviews in English
-
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
12/2/2008
It's true the Book Bazaar offers many rare editions of titles from many literary eras. They have a great selection of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and a children's section downstairs. They also have a small selection of popular paperbacks by the usual authors you could find in droves at other used book stores, but for higher prices. Actually, the prices here are somewhat steep. There isn't a lot taken off the blacked out original Canadian price, so I would mainly recommend this place to people looking for rare or older titles or perhaps those who like to find a unique edition of their favourite book. If you don't mind owning a mass produced copy of a classic piece of literature, there's a great cheap section of Penguin Classics where I managed to find The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Breakfast at Tiffany's for $6 each. Unfortunately, my non-Penguin copy of Blood Meridian was $15 (marked down from $21).
This place is cozy, but I didn't get the feeling it was cozy enough that I could sit at the couch that faces the counter and read for an hour without some glares from staff members.
I would definitely come back again, but probably after checking some other cheaper used book stores for certain titles first. -
Review from Azim A.
Ottawa, ON
10/19/2008
The Book Bazaar has such a plethora of works in classic literature and historical non-fiction, it is an absolute haven for anyone interested in these subjects.
A quiet, charming place on an otherwise bustling Bank Street, this store has titles on a wide range of selections for adult reading ( I did not see much children or adolescent titles), but focuses especially on classic authors such as Mark Twain, Tolstoy, and Hemmingway. Some of the historical copies are visibly from the era of their original publication, adding historical authenticity to it. Yet they have been preserved well and are in excellent condition.
Definitely a nice place to visit on a weekend afternoon and catch up on some classic literature! -
Review from Y. E.
12/9/2010
I bought a book from The Book Bazaar online. I am an academic, and a book collector. I buy dozens of books a year, and sell quite a few myself as an Amazon bookseller. Overall, my experience with Book Bazaar rates as the worst customer service experience I have ever experienced in this industry.
It's a long story, and I'll spare you the gory details, but I'll say that I was left deeply puzzled. If this were a random person selling a book online, fine. But a professional bookseller? What professional bookseller would argue with a customer who complains that a book's condition was misdescribed without even asking to see the book? What professional bookseller would argue with a customer at all? What professional bookseller would stop responding after the customer sent them, on their own initiative, digital photos of the damage to the book? What professional bookseller would write (to a courteous customer) discourteous, misspelled messages in large-size fonts saying things like: "THAT'S REDICULOUS!" [sic]
Overall, I was left with the impression that I tried to extract customer service from an ill-mannered and ill-tempered adolescent. Is that what happened? I wonder. -
Review from Jason D.
Ottawa, ON
10/15/2008 1 photo
My wife and I are avid readers - especially my wife. She devours a book every two days. That makes reading a potentially expensive hobby. We decided to give up on new books (the US and Canadian dollars were at par and yet the exact same books were 40% higher in price in Canada than they were south of the border!!!). We found the Book Bazaar one afternoon as we strolled along what is known as The Promenade district - Bank north of the 417. If you are looking for your popular/big name paperback authors (Stephen King, Michael Connelly, Michael Crichton) Book Bazaar carries them...but not in crazy numbers. What this store really specializes in is early editions of classic literature and non-fiction (mostly historical) titles. In fact, they have one of the largest collections of Second World War espionage tales and memoirs this side of the Canadian War Museum. The Book Bazaar has something for everyone (except children!) - so you can satisfy your urge for history as well as your secret yearning for mystery.
