Montreal’s Independent Bookstores: Librarie Saint-Henri Books
Back home in southwestern Ontario, it’s a twenty-minute drive to the nearest second-hand bookstore, a place which, for the longest time, I did not know the name of. It’s a long, single-story building with book-patterned posters lining the windows and pictures of the children whom the non-profit benefits placed in the entryway. There is a foldable sign by the road that says, “Open 7 Days a Week” with the hours listed underneath. A bell rings when you walk in, and you’re greeted by the smell of old books wafting from the wooden shelves, and the only person working, as the store is open just three hours a day. There are parts of the floor that creak, a section that contains only antique volumes, and a sequestered corner displaying local art for sale. I always recognize the person working on the days I visit, and we exchange pleasantries and book recommendations.
Before I moved to Montreal, the idea of city life excited me. It presented more opportunities, hobbies, and pastimes. Everything would be within walking distance, and it wouldn’t take an hour on the highway to go to a restaurant or see a movie. But as a reader and a writer, city life would be much different. These are isolated pastimes. You sit down with a book, or a laptop, and it becomes just you and the story. For community, you turn to the internet, to friends, and to bookstores. I assumed the one-on-one closeness I feel when I visit home and walk into a store, whose only form of advertisement is a Facebook page, would be lost when I reached Montreal. In such a large city, I thought, every store would be crowded. There wouldn’t be enough time, enough calm, to talk to anyone without feeling like I was backing up an hour of their time. People crowd like flies in the city. My experience, however, has been much different.
The chain stores are the same anywhere. If you walk into an Indigo, there will be multiple levels and a strung-out line broken up by cashiers shouting, “Prochain! Next!” as they try to catch up. Time is always of the essence. But if you break away from the bustle and crowds of McGill Ave, The Word bookstore is a short fifteen-minute walk away, nestled on Milton, and a departure from the noisiness of downtown. This small shop was the first bookstore I walked into in Montreal that reminded me of home. It is a place where the people running it have a deep passion and knowledge for what they do, and are eager to help and answer questions.
Walking into The Word, you enter a space stuffed with books: stacks that reach the ceiling, boxes of books under your feet, and displays of rare volumes splayed and stacked on tables in the middle of the store. At the beginning of the year, when I was planning Montreal’s Book Club, I used the idea as an excuse to take a trip to The Word. I bundled up and ventured out into Montreal winter, welcoming the dry heat and warmth of the old building as soon as I stepped through the door. I spent the first portion of my visit stalking through shelves, running my fingers along the spines of the second-hand books. When I asked about recommendations by Canadian authors, I was directed to five separate options, leaving me with my own stack to sort through. I ended up leaving with Michael Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion and Heather O’Neill’s The Girl Who Was Saturday Night. There were other treasures I regretted leaving behind—one of the many joys and tortures of book shopping—but also another reason to go back. In addition to used books and collectibles, The Word holds course books for both Concordia and McGill students. This was, in fact, how I first experienced The Word, and knew it would quickly become one of my favourite spots in the city as soon as I saw the most beautiful copy of Jane Eyre I’d ever seen on display. On my many return visits following that first time, I’ve never been disappointed.
Beyond The Word, there are many indie bookstores scattered across the city. On April 27th of this year, many of them celebrated Independent Bookstore Day. As I am never one to skip out on a deal when it comes to literature, I took to the streets of Montreal to visit Librairie Saint-Henri Books for the first time. A small store with a wisely curated selection of books from across all genres, LSHB is well managed with an eye and a heart for its community.
“The Saint-Henri community has been instrumental in our lasting success. From the beginning, our neighbours have shown support by shopping locally, participating in our events, and spreading the word about our store. During the pandemic, our customers generously stepped up by ordering from us online and arranging curbside pickup. The personal connections we've built with our customers have made running LSHB incredibly fulfilling and meaningful. Without their support, and our amazing team, we wouldn't be where we are today.” Cassandra Keating from LSHB tells me.
Librairie Saint-Henri Books has indeed done much to support their community given their relatively short lifetime—having only been open for six years. “Librairie Saint-Henri Books was founded in 2018 by a pair of book lovers who wanted to create a welcoming space for the community to gather, learn, and celebrate literature. Over the years, we’ve grown from a small neighbourhood bookstore to a proud cultural hub in Saint-Henri. Our journey began with a mission to provide a highly curated selection of books that uplift local authors and artists and foster a love of reading in our community. We have been lucky to employ a passionate team of book lovers, and over time have expanded our offerings, hosted countless events, and built lasting relationships with our customers, who are the heart of our store.”
In the window are two display tables: one with a mint green typewriter as its centerpiece, surrounded by pops of colour, and two open books with illustrations of herbs and flowers to match the plants that are spread throughout the store. The other is carpeted with volumes of poetry in front of coverless books stacked one on top of the other to hold the books displayed to passersby. Among these, the Montreal-based literary journal, Yolk, lays proudly next to poetry collections like Sylvia Plath’s Ariel and Michael Ondaatje’s A Year of Last Things. When asked about how important it is to LSHB to support and promote local publications and businesses, Cassandra told me, “Supporting small and local businesses and publications is at the core of our values at LSHB. We believe in the importance of nurturing local talent and providing a platform for Montréal-based authors, publications, and artisans.”
Nearby, next to staff picks including titles like Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? and Nightbitch was a sign showing all upcoming events. “Our events at LSHB are designed to engage, inspire, and uplift the community. We host a variety of activities, including book launches, author readings, workshops, wine nights with @whinemom, and several book clubs. These events give back to the community by creating a space for intellectual and imaginative exchange, fostering a love for literature, and building a sense of community among attendees. For authors, our events offer invaluable exposure, a chance to connect with readers, and an opportunity to sell their books. LSHB hosts a variety of events from book club meetings to author Q&As.”
Book clubs have become a pillar of community amongst readers. When asked further about LSHB’s book club, Cassandra told me, “We host monthly book clubs at our shop and frequently partner with local organizations like the Segal Centre and Monthly Dignity to present special book club events. Our book club community has flourished thanks to word-of-mouth, social media, and the dedication of our members. It has become a cornerstone of our store, fostering meaningful connections among readers and providing a vibrant space for literary discussion.”
Next to the checkout are arrays of greeting cards, candles, and LSHB merch, including tee shirts, tote bags, and stickers. I kept my eye on several books while perusing my options and spotted a few favourites. I settled on Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa and translated by Eric Ozawa which—a novel that I had been craving for months. In front of me, a woman was buying Bell Hooks’ All About Love and talking about Joan Didion. I told her I had just finished reading The Year of Magical Thinking.
“Slouching Towards Bethlehem is my favourite of hers,” she told me. I asked her what she thought of Eve Babitz, as I’ve often heard their names uttered within the same breath. There was scandal there, it seemed, based on her raised eyebrows and the widening of her smile. “They’re very different people,” she said. “I don’t think they really liked each other.”
It only occurred to me after I had left how accustomed I had become to these sorts of interactions. I loved talking about books with this woman whose name I didn’t know, just as I love stepping into Argo Bookshop or Librairie Drawn & Quarterly and asking for recommendations, speaking about the things I’ve read, or watching other people to see what they’re reading. All these things that I thought would be lost in the race of the city are contained amongst those shelves.
The creative community and the community of book people in this city is widespread. There is no lack of conversation, passion, or work ethic, whether it be a small indie bookshop, a student-run magazine, a small press, or a place for emerging writers to share their work. Montreal is home to a plethora of creative communities if you only look. And within these pools of emerging writers, open mics, and aspirations, it is the small presses, magazines, and community-led bookshops like Librairie Saint-Henri, that are leading the charge to enrich and expand upon Montreal’s literary scene. When it comes to locality, Cassandra says, “LSHB is deeply committed to prioritizing Montréal authors and readers and serving the Saint-Henri community. We actively seek out and stock works by local authors, and our staff is knowledgeable about the local literary scene and ready to recommend Montréal-based works to customers. Our goal is to create a space where everyone feels welcome and inspired.”
More of Erin Staley’s coverage of Montreal’s local bookstores and Canadian authors can be found on her website, Montreal’s Book Club.