The Haunted Bookshop, Sidney BC
Posted by: 
arby101ca
N 48° 38.957 W 123° 23.868
10U E 470700 N 5388545
Sidney BC is Canada’s “booktown” with at least nine independent bookshops in the downtown area. Most are used bookstores catering to different interests. The Haunted Bookshop, is the oldest bookshop on Vancouver Island, established in 1947.
Waymark Code: WMFFNE
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 10/12/2012
Views: 5
In the window of the Haunted Bookstore is a copy of the novel by Christopher Morley, 1919 “The Haunted Bookshop”. As in the fictional haunted bookshop, a poem posted on the wall describes the philosophy.
“THIS SHOP IS HAUNTED by the ghosts
Of all great literature, in hosts;
We sell no fakes or trashes.
Lovers of books are welcome here,
No clerks will babble in your ear,
Please smoke--but don't drop ashes!
----
Browse as long as you like.
Prices of all books plainly marked.
If you want to ask questions, you'll find the proprietor
where the tobacco smoke is thickest.
We pay cash for books.
We have what you want, though you may not know you want it.
Malnutrition of the reading faculty is a serious thing.
Let us prescribe for you.
The Haunted Bookshop”
The following description is from the Haunted Bookshop website.
“Described in ‘Beautiful British Columbia’ magazine as ‘the sort of antiquarian bookstore bibliophiles dream about’, The Haunted actually caters to recreational readers wanting recent paperbacks and scholars seeking out-of-print material, as well as to collectors of rarities. Its carefully chosen stock includes books on most subjects, as well as unique ephemeral items, maps and prints.”
The Haunted Bookshop is operated by Odean Long at 9807 Third Street, just off the main street, Beacon Ave.
Why is Sidney BC “Book Town”. I think two factors are responsible, demographics and personalities. Sidney is an quiet seaside town that attracts many retired people. Forty percent of the residents are 65 or older. As people age and pass on, many of their collected treasures become available in garage and estate sales. Thrift stores and used books stores effectively recycle these treasures. In this way Sidney is like the mythical “Elephants Graveyard”.
Clive Tanner is the most active personality behind the successful promotion of Sidney as Booktown. He established many of the bookstores in Booktown including Tanners Books, the excellent new bookstore now operated by Cliff McNeil Smith. Clive Tanner was active in municipal and provincial politics and owns a significant proportion of the downtown real estate occupied by the bookstores. He and his wife continue to operate several of the bookstores including Beacon Books and the Military Bookshop.
I enjoy browsing the bookshops buying old treasures to be recycled again as I grow older. As with most shops in our enlighten age, smoking is no longer tolerated in bookshops.
Physical Address::
9807 Third Street
Sidney, BC Canada
V8L 3A6
Phone Number:: 250 656 8805
Website:: [Web Link]
Hours of Operation:: From: 10:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
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Visit Instructions:
In order to log a waymark in this category, you need to take a picture of the used book store with your GPS in the picture frame and write a brief log of your visit.