Seekers Books

Discovered a hidden gem. Had a short enlightening conversation with the person at checkout about my book receipt and NFTs!

I found the perfect spot: Seekers Books. Its affordable prices and extensive collection of literature make it a must-visit for me every week. The intoxicating scent of old books only adds to the charm.

In a time where the small business is fading away, let alone the small business bookstore, this spot is an Annex gem. On top of this, it's owned by two great people, who pride themselves on operating a friendly, welcoming bookstore. Definitely worth checking out.

This was the worst book shopping experience I ever had. I was accosted from the emotionally unstable woman running the place. I have a disability that doesn’t allow me to easily access books close to the floor. I picked about 10 books to look at for when I could stand up comfortably. When I attempted to put the 5 I didnt want back into the shelf The woman ran up to me screaming to not put them back because they are in alphabetical order. I apologized saying I didn’t realize that. I left 5-6 books one row up from where I got them and took to the rest to the counter. She immediately ignored me to go back to put the 5 books away while I stood at the till waiting for her. She came back and basically threw the books at me after I paid. After I exited the store I heard her call me a Karen. I went back in and told her she needed to learn a thing or two about customer service and that you don’t make someone wait while you put books away. She started verbally assaulting me calling me an entitled c@nt and that I was banned from the store. I told her to wait for my review and left while she chased me out swearing and screeching at me the I don’t deserve to be allowed in a book store. All of this because I left 5 books out that I tried to put them back? She was so unhinged and mad she was shaking. Beware this woman shouldn’t be allowed to interact with the public. If you misplace a book all hell will break loose.

This store was definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Toronto. I found a few books that I needed and had been looking for. The owner and cat were lovely.

5 stars for the fantastic selection of books. -1 star because the cat ran away when I tried to pet it but +1 star because the cat is very cute.

Great used bookstore. The selection of philosophy, history and literature books is especially good. Patrick, the owner, is knowledgeable, funny and welcoming. Highly recommended.

Super cute bookstore with lots of good finds.make sure you give yourself plenty of time so you can look through everything.the staff are super helpful and know where everything is so don't be afraid to ask if you're looking for something specific.all the books were reasonably priced and in good quality.the buying hours are different from the open hours, so if you're looking to sell some books make sure you come before 6.

Lovely pokeabout second-hand bookseller. They have a nice selection of literature, SF,? Comic books, some textbooks, occult, etc etc. Churchill the cat is a fixture, but he's not always amenable to pats. He'll let you know when he's grumpy.

What a great experience! I live in the U. S.and even though there are wonderful used bookstores in say, NYC, I don't have much access to them living in a small town in Delaware, so I was pretty excited about Toronto bookstores. A second reason was the fact that a bunch of my favorite books with British covers exist in Canda:)
We loved this place. Not a huge fiction selection but enough, and I had a ton of fun finding gems. The owner was also really nice and knowledgeable.

This is my favourite little book shop in the city. I always get caught in a pleasant conversation with the lad at the shop about fantasy and sci for books. Proper place to pick up a good read.

Love this place and the peeps! In addition to scoring a first edition copy of The Talisman (yay), I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the enchanting Mr. Churchill, himself! My dumpling pug was also appreciated!

So glad I didn't walk past this placed tucked down below and behind some construction. I love browsing the books and picked up a great selection of hardcovers for a friend and several fun and unique books for myself. Great selection and service.

My favourite bookstore in the city! A hidden gem in the Annex - you might miss it, as the entrance is beneath a staircase. The store is charmingly cluttered with tall shelves that are packed to the brim with all sorts of popular and obscure finds (I’ve made numerous delightful discoveries)! Aside from the awesome vibe and the vast offerings on display, the owners make the shop what it is; they’re friendly, intelligent, well-read, and seemingly always engaged in fascinating conversations with the regulars. To top it all off, there’s a kitty who plays host! If you miss the warm welcome of intellectual banter and the search for a long-desired volume, this is the spot to indulge your nostalgia while also thanking the literary gods that places like this still exist!

Both clerks are awesome. They have a nice selection of books at a reasonable price. Worth a visit!

This bookstore is literally a hidden gem. I accidentally found this place when I dropped something and saw the store when I crouched down to pick it up. From outside it looked like a shady underground basement bookstore. But once you walk in, you’re instantly hit with the scent of books and cedar. The store has a warm welcoming vibe, not to mention, an amazing selection of books. BUT MY FAVOURITE PART ABOUT THIS BOOKSTORE IS THE CAT. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was a cat just chilling there and living out its best life surrounded by books.

Wonderful book store, kind patient knowledgeable staff. Peaceful energy.
So happy you’re still there, past pandemic. One of my most favourite book stores.
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Great place to stop and have a look among the very interesting books. An authentic bookstore where you breath letters and history. Very nice owner and helpful with everything you ask for.

A really neat spot!

I went in to see Churchill the cat and picked up some interesting books.

The owner was also so knowledgeable and had great conversations with customers.

The bookstore itself is wonderful and it's a great place to find some very rare books, but I felt scammed by them.

When I bought my books, the cashier (a lady) explicitly said that Seekers would purchase the used books from me for 1/3 of the price I paid, when I was done reading them.

A few months later, I went back and took my receipt. This new cashier (a man) didn't even look at the receipt (which I found strange), then he glanced at 2 of the books and just said he's not taking them because he had too many of those in the store. After that, he flipped through the remaining two and after "serious consideration",   offered me $1 for each (that was definitely not 1/3 of the original price!). I left with my books that day as I'd rather donate it to free library.

If I hadn't been told that the books would be repurchased, I probably wouldn't have bought them. Their sales model feels like a scam and I definitely will not return to this store. Don't make promises you can't keep!

Small store with a large variety. Although it is a little bit cluttered and there's nowhere to sit, it's still a great place to find old books and obscure titles

GREAT BOOKSTORE! Came here with a friend during a Bloor expedition to look for "The 48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene. Unfortunately didn't find it because everyone and their mother is looking for it right now -insert depressed emoji- But I am so glad that I stumbled upon this gem of a bookstore! Hot tip: this store is located 6 feet under so look out for it or you might miss it! I had sadly gone into the The Big Short level debt on my way here, so didn't get anything! The prices were eye-watering good and there was a great mix of old and new. Books like "21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act" or "American Dirt" were selling for about 10 bucks in mint condition. The owner was also super kind and helpful. He remembered his stock better than I remember any French from Duolingo. The only thing you will seek at seekers is good prices and good vibes! Ciao Bella!

Sometimes you do not realize you are a seeker until you read the name of the bookstore decades later, and it clicks. What a place, apart of a lot of us is there.

In the four years Ive been in Toronto, Seekers has been hands down, one of my favourite bookstores in the city. Easily a quarter of the books in my collection has been gems Ive found in Seekers. A superbly curated collection of items I wouldnt find elsewhere.

Good variety of books and great prices. Owner is v knowledgeable and happy to help with looking for stuff

Owner is very knowledgeable and passionate and always willing to chat. Of course one cannot forget Churchill who finally warmed up to me.

Used books for less. And I have always found what I wanted.
But the guy has no respect for time. We set up a appointment for a pick up but when the time came the store was locked and phone calls not picked up. Must be because of covid but still

A wonderful little hidden treasure! Came across it one day while walking around with a friend, and they were giving away free books. We then decided to go inside and it was just the coziest, most lovely place to be. The person at the counter was such a great person to chat with and I unfortunately forgot to get their name! Will be coming back when possible!

Great hidden used book store. Love spending time looking for great treasures. I can easily spend an afternoon looking through the shelves for that special book.

Really cozy place to shop for second-hand books. A lot of their stuff is in like-new condition. And it's open late. Really late. Like maybe-you-went-to-the-movies-on-a -Friday-night-and-wanna-do-something-else-before-you-head-home late. And the people who work there are real friendly, too.

This place feels like a friend's house. The owners are great. Great energy from the store. Synchronicity lead me there years ago and I hope this review leads you to something special.

Walk in with an idea of what you want, walk out with an idea you didn’t know you had. Pat is as helpful as help can come and the vibe in here fits any desire. A must if you want to surround yourself with books.

Has some really neat selections, and some that are lackluster. Pretty sure the Owner and an employee were swearing at each other when I was in, and I couldn't tell if it was a joke or not. Found it quite unsettling none the less.

Really nice staff. Bought some interesting psychology related books and the prices are fairly cheap. I love that it is open late, too.

We'll organized and good selection of used books at great prices. I go a few times a year and always come out with a handful of great reads. E.

I love this bookstore. A really great selection of well selected books on a variety of subjects. I love poking through and see what treasures I can find.

Great selection of books, good advice, and fair prices. Unlike the bigger places they know what they have in stock.

The best book collection in a while
Very good book store with the best prices
New and used!
I love it recommend it to everyone

This place is awesome the owner Patrick is really cool and fun to talk to. They always have a wide selection of super rare super unique books. So if you ever in the annex I'm looking for a new book to read is walk down into the basement and find your way into Seekers books.

Sold me a book with 9 pages torn out and then refused me an exchange because the book was damaged. Dude at the counter was a dink.

Great deals and selection but if you're searching for a specific book it can be kind of messy and confusing.

One of the top second hand bookstores in Toronto. Knowledgable staff who will are happy to give you some direction or to let you do your thing. Unassuming and open late.

I've been coming here since I was a teenager, and this place has become a sort of temple for me.

Each time I walk down the stairs into this hidden little nook, my heartbeat quickens a little bit. Opening the door I am always greeted by the welcoming smell of nag champa, the meow of Winston (the cat) The smiles of either Patrick, Margo, or even sometimes both, and the endless treasure trove of books to choose between. With the fantastic prices and preservation of all their books, not to mention the increasingly large selection of genres and authors and eras to choose from, I never leave empty handed, nor do I ever leave dissatisfied.

Thank you Seekers Books, sincerely, a fellow Seeker.

Really eclectic variety of hard to find editions, plenty of very affordable used books to be found that larger stores like BMV do no have, plus it’s usually very quiet so there’s no rush to browse. The woman working there was very conversational and easy going, overheard some very funny things which made me feel at home there. Feels like a special place in the midst of a rapidly modernizing and gentrified downtown Toronto. Cool spot!

Unglaublich umfangreiche und dabei gute Auswahl an Büchern u.a. Zu Buddhismus, Religion, Spiritualität, Psychologie, Wissenschaft und vielem mehr.

Wonderful staff and giant collection of books. I managed to pick up a good amount of my enormous book list!

Great selection, friendly staff, super convenient hours! Have purchased many of my favourite books there. They stock "hard to find" and rare editions. Love to visit the store - just feels good being there and perusing.

I don't get down here often, but always look forward to coming back. Seekers is probably best known for its selection of books on religion, spirituality and philosophy, but it is way more than that. This place is stocked top-to-bottom with interesting finds spanning a great range of genres, topics, authors, and ages. It's a fun place to hunt for older or out-of-print books, and it also has some beautiful rare and limited editions too. The storefront may be rather unassuming, but you'd do well to venture into this independent gem not far from the Bathurst subway station.

Terrible customer service. Rude Russian woman talks gibberish to you non-stop, inappropriate conversation about her time as a dominatrix. Closes early every night despite posted hours of 12 noon to 12am. She follows around the customers to see if you are re shelving her books out of order. Has a cat named Churchill that lives in the store, even though City of Toronto bylaws state no animal or pet shall live in a retail property. Filthy store, books over priced. You are better served going to BMV just a short distance on Bloor West. This store has been reported to The Toronto Better Business Bureau, City of Toronto Bylaw enforcement for contravention of the retail act by not following posted business hours and Public health for cat on premises and mold, as store sits below ground over a bar which leaks raw sewage into store, black mold on books. DO NOT SHOP HERE.

Nice quaint little gem - almost perfectly what you'd imagine a used book shop would look like. Friendly storekeeper and a large selection of books. I wish the sci-fi/fantasy section would be larger but it is what it is.

Still the best bookstore in Toronto (in my humble opinion). I have fond memories of coming here at 10pm and chatting with the staff about all kinds of things until close. It felt like a hangout spot for me and of course, I'd always leave with some books. They have unique and rare pieces behind the counter, most of my rare books came from here. If you talk to the person working there, chances are he will show you some cool things they have hidden back there, some not for sale. But it's always an experience. Personally, I like that their books are sectioned off by topic. They also have a hefty religious/spiritual section which is hard to find in used bookstores these days.

Very poor customer service. I was treated like absolute trash just for looking at and opening their books!
I walked in there while on the phone with my mother so she could help me establish which James Patterson novels I needed to read still that follow Detective Alex Cross, in the order that they are published because I couldn’t remember, and my mother is also an avid James Patterson reader, so who better to help me than her right? Well as I was going through the books I opened one to the first page where all the other novels are listed and left it open and just slid it in top of other books as to keep it open, and out of nowhere I am rudely told to stop mistreating the books! Excuse me? Books are meant to be opened for one, and two, I was planning to buy it! I told the gentlemen this and he said something which I didn’t even hear because at this point I chose to ignore his rudeness and go on about my phone call with my mother to help me. Fast forward to coming up to the cash to pay, it was a lady who checked me out. I paid for the books, didn’t ask for a bag, and didn’t bother with a receipt because I just wanted to get out of there. No point of exchanging pleasantries to people who clearly didn’t seem to want my business and thought I was ‘mistreating’ their books. So whatever, I left and then proceeded to tell my mother what happened and next thing I know, the lady comes outside and tells me not to ever come to their store again! Ok fine I won’t! The only thing mistreated in this whole situation was myself. I truly don’t understand why either. People, you’re better off going somewhere else and just paying the extra, or better yet going to the damn library.
You folks truly lack basic customer service skills. You’re ignorant and clearly don’t appreciate your customers! Thanks for the books though! I’ll make sure I go to the bigger bookstore down the street next time I want something! At least they are friendly!

The epitome of the local bookstore targeted at book lovers. The owner is friendly, understands what matters to his customers, and pays fair prices to people who sell used books in good condition. The delightful store cat makes it a must visit destination if you are in the area.

Small bookshop with a great selection of diverse titles and genres. Very reasonable pricing, and the staff are friendly and helpful.

I've walked by this place a thousand times not knowing it was there, and only actually went in because a friend showed it to me. They've got a huge, pretty impressively organized collection. You're either going to love or hate the decoration (or lack thereof) but I personally very much enjoyed the aesthetic of the place.

Don't be fooled by Seekers hidden storefront - although it is much smaller than the nearby BMV, the selection and prices are unparalleled. I have found so many books at Seekers which are difficult to find in other used bookstores, including an obscure Joan Didion novel, and have yet to encounter a price over $10. The owner is very kind and helpful, and the beautiful orange cat named Churchill roaming around the store is an added plus!

I love Seekers books. I am so grateful that they are still in business. I am a book collector and so appreciate that this wonderful gem is still rockin after all these years. I always find great stuff. Thanks Seekers, you are the best.

Great, very knowledgeable folks, stocking a bookish-treasure-hunter's trove of eclectic and interesting books. Some really fun and unusually mind-expanding long conversations regularly happen there. And their having an in-store cat mascot just adds to the whole thing. Go rummage through some books!:)

Seekers is a great place to buy both new bestsellers and old classics, they have a decent collection. Seekers' booksellers are very friendly – just ask them what you're looking for and they will help.

Bought books there multiple times, great quality and prices.

Love this place. The selection is great and a little out of the ordinary. I was looking for an obscure autobiography of a particular yogi and they had it.

This store is now on my regular circuit of second-hand bookstores.

Went for some Shaum's Outlines books on math, but instead found a wonderful book linking the basis of mythology and shamans' practices to real neurobiology. Fantastic!

Good selection of used books on most subjects. Huge literature section. Many sci-fi hardcovers, also graphic novels. Friendly staff. The kind of place where it's fun to just have a browse and let something jump out and beg to be bought!