Carving out a Leslieville book nook
‘Working soulmates’ found a community starved of small, local shops
First, consumers stopped shopping at little bookstores and went all Indigo. Then, everyone got hooked on digital. Now, the neighbourhood bookstore is back. But it’s gotta be cosy and have awesome books and gifts and hangout spots.
Queen Books, on Queen St. E. at Logan Ave., is right on trend and ticks all the boxes for a local book nook.
Bookselling veterans Alex Snider, 33, and Liz Burns, 29, opened this store in early April and it’s their first outing as entrepreneurs. But they look like they’ve got this thing figured out.
This huge space — 1,700 square feet right in the centre of Leslieville’s busy foot-traffic zone — feels both bright and cosy. (The store has a set of glass double doors out the back. This unique feature adds light and a glimpse into always interesting alley life.)
Burns gets credit for the decor, which feature huge, Persian-style rugs (one that was previously owned by her great-great-grandmother but put in storage for nearly 40 years as it’s so massive) and books arranged on vintage tables (bought for sensible prices at online auctions).
Blue walls and vintage-looking wallpaper across the back were intended to make the storefront feel “like a co-op living room,” Burns says.
The duo met at the Forest Hill location of Type Books. Snider, a University of Toronto grad, had previously worked in a variety of retail jobs, including at Indigo.
Burns went to McGill and worked at a private school and for a publishing house. They mainly ran the location on their own with one other employee and bonded.
“I met my working soulmate,” Burns says of meeting Snider. Their skills dovetailed perfectly.
Snider is a pro at the ordering side. As for Burns: “I’ve never seen anyone so good at selling books,” Snider says of her future business partner.
They also agreed on their approach to a new venture: a bookstore that would reflect their values, but would also be driven heavily by what customers wanted.
Last summer, they started plotting the store in earnest. Both moved to the east end and saw a gap in Leslieville.
“There’s nothing here, it’s a black hole,” Burns says.
They found this extra-large location last November — it was a successful paint store, but the owner closed to focus on another location and still owns the building — and it took until the new year to secure the lease and get into the space. Help from handy husbands — one a landscaper, one an architect — led to mostly DIY renovations, and an opening date on April 8. (Burns did all the work while pregnant and her water broke on opening day, with baby Sam arriving the next day.)
The partners posted on their website, well in advance of opening, a call to future customers for book re- quests. With that early communication jump, they started getting to know their future customers the way they had in Forest Hill.
“I’m thrilled to build new relationships, but this time in my own neighbourhood,” Snider says.
The feedback, more practically, helped the partners flesh out the store’s section. Along with a huge back section for kids and young adults (including lots of gift items), the store has a decent gardening and food section, plus lots of mysteries. Requests came in early for local writers, so those are featured all over the store.
Future plans include family-oriented events and possibly book launches. Customers are already stopping by to offer their suggestions.
And speaking of customers, many do stop by on a recent sunny day. With plenty going on in Leslieville, and new condos going up to bring in even more potential customers, this bookstore’s concept and the thriving neighbourhood seem a good match.