Bookstores in Hamilton
Bookstores reward the browsers. Hamilton, ON has 46 mapped right now, and 3 of them deal in used books. That's 46 bookshops mapped around Hamilton, each with its own shelves and specialties. The used sections are where the real bargains hide.
This guide covers every bookstore we could verify in and around Hamilton (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include Indigo and Poets Pulput, plus Indigo. If a bookshop's missing from Hamilton's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet.
The Hamilton bookstore lineup
46 mapped within about 40 km:
Indigo
BookstoreRun by Indigo
Run by Indigo, Indigo is Bookstore.
Poets Pulput
Bookstore
Poets Pulput is Bookstore. Poets Pulput also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore on 5015 Glen Erin Drive. Also worth knowing about Indigo: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
5015 Glen Erin Drive
Phone: +1 9058208336
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore, found on 1250 Brant Street in Burlington.
1250 Brant Street, Burlington
Chapters
BookstoreRun by Indigo
Run by Indigo, Chapters is Bookstore on 3050 Vega Boulevard. Also worth knowing about Chapters: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 10:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
3050 Vega Boulevard, L5L 5X8
Hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 10:00-18:00
Phone: +1-905-820-9910
Good Books
Bookstore
Good Books is Bookstore. Good Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 12:00-16:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-16:00
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Indigo: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
Phone: +1-905-578-3658
Altered States Comics
Bookstore
Altered States Comics — Bookstore, found on 1701 Lakeshore Road West in Mississauga. Also worth knowing about Altered States Comics: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 11:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-18:00; Su 11:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
1701 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga, L5J 1J4
Hours: Mo-Fr 11:00-20:00; Sa 10:00-18:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Phone: +1-905-855-1288
Ontario Christian Books
Bookstore
Ontario Christian Books — Bookstore.
Campus Store
Bookstore
Campus Store — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Campus Store: the map lists its hours as Mo-Th 09:00-17:00; Fr 09:00-16:00; Sa-Su off; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Th 09:00-17:00; Fr 09:00-16:00; Sa-Su off
King W. Books
Bookstore
King W. Books is Bookstore on 1060 King Street West, Hamilton.
1060 King Street West, Hamilton, L8S 1L7
Epic Books
Bookstore
Epic Books — Bookstore on 226 Locke Street South. Also worth knowing about Epic Books: the map lists its hours as Tu-Fr 10:00-18:00; Su 12:00-16:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Mo off; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
226 Locke Street South, L8P 4B7
Hours: Tu-Fr 10:00-18:00; Su 12:00-16:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Mo off
Phone: +1-905-525-6538
Pickwick Books
Used bookstore
Pickwick Books — Used bookstore on 325 Dundas Street East. Also worth knowing about Pickwick Books: it has a website with more detail.
325 Dundas Street East, L0R 2H5
Family Christian Bookstore & Music
Bookstore
Family Christian Bookstore & Music is Bookstore.
froogal books & more
Bookstore
froogal books & more is Bookstore on 730 Guelph Line, Burlington. froogal books & more also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-We 09:30-18:00, Th-Fr 09:30-21:00, Sa 09:30-17:00; PH off; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
730 Guelph Line, Burlington, L7R 3N5
Hours: Mo-We 09:30-18:00, Th-Fr 09:30-21:00, Sa 09:30-17:00; PH off
Phone: +1-905-633-9152
Dungeon Comics
Bookstore
Dungeon Comics — Bookstore on 2446 New Street. Also worth knowing about Dungeon Comics: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
2446 New Street
Phone: +1-905-637-6111
Marhaba
Bookstore
Marhaba is Bookstore.
Indigo Spirit
Bookstore
Indigo Spirit — Bookstore, found on 485 Trafalgar Road in Oakville.
485 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, L6J 3J1
By The Lake Books
Used bookstore
By The Lake Books is Used bookstore on 5296 Lakeshore Road. By The Lake Books also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
5296 Lakeshore Road, L7L 1C7
Phone: +1-905-639-4622
Book Nook
Bookstore
Book Nook is Bookstore.
Conspiracy Comics
Bookstore
Conspiracy Comics is Bookstore on 240 Leighland Avenue.
240 Leighland Avenue
Coles
Bookstore
Coles is Bookstore on 240 Leighland Avenue.
240 Leighland Avenue
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore.
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore.
Coles
Bookstore
Coles is Bookstore.
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore.
Coles
Bookstore
Coles is Bookstore.
Barely Bent Books
Bookstore
Barely Bent Books is Bookstore on 46 King Street East, Dundas. Barely Bent Books also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Tu-Th 10:00-18:00, Fr 14:30-18:00, Sa 10:00-17:00.
46 King Street East, Dundas, L9H 1B8
Hours: Tu-Th 10:00-18:00, Fr 14:30-18:00, Sa 10:00-17:00
Conspiracy Comics
Bookstore
Conspiracy Comics is Bookstore.
Big B Comics
Bookstore
Big B Comics — Bookstore on 1045 Upper James Street. Also worth knowing about Big B Comics: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 11:00-19:00; Sa 11:00-18:00; Su 11:00-17:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
1045 Upper James Street, L9C 3A6
Hours: Mo-Fr 11:00-19:00; Sa 11:00-18:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Phone: +1-905-318-9636
Aardvark Comics
Bookstore
Aardvark Comics — Bookstore.
Booked Experiences
Bookstore
Booked Experiences is Bookstore.
The Gospel Lighthouse
Bookstore
The Gospel Lighthouse — Bookstore.
Westside Stories
Bookstore
Westside Stories — Bookstore.
Conspiracy Comics
Bookstore
Conspiracy Comics is Bookstore.
Love Books
Bookstore
Love Books — Bookstore.
J.H. Gordon Books
Used bookstore
J.H. Gordon Books is Used bookstore on 314 King Street East.
314 King Street East
Il Était Une Fois… French Bookshop
Bookstore
Il Était Une Fois… French Bookshop — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Il Était Une Fois… French Bookshop: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
Phone: +1 2896442623
University of Toronto Bookstore
BookstoreRun by University of Toronto Bookstore
Run by University of Toronto Bookstore, University of Toronto Bookstore is Bookstore, found on 1867 Inner Circle in Mississauga. Also worth knowing about University of Toronto Bookstore: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00; it has a website with more detail.
1867 Inner Circle, Mississauga, L5L1C6
Hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00
N2N Books - Used book store
Bookstore
N2N Books - Used book store — Bookstore on 28 Athens Street. Also worth knowing about N2N Books - Used book store: the map lists its hours as Mo-We, Fr 09:30-15:30; Th 09:30-18:30; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
28 Athens Street
Hours: Mo-We, Fr 09:30-15:30; Th 09:30-18:30
Phone: +1-905-574-1334
The City & The City Books
Bookstore
The City & The City Books is Bookstore on 181 Ottawa Street North.
181 Ottawa Street North, L8H3Z4
Brantford Bookworm
Bookstore
Brantford Bookworm is Bookstore on 331 Brant Avenue. Brantford Bookworm also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
331 Brant Avenue, N3T 3J9
The Printed Word
Bookstore
The Printed Word — Bookstore.
Indigo
Bookstore
Indigo — Bookstore.
Mountain Bookstore
Bookstore
Mountain Bookstore — Bookstore.
A Different Drummer Books
Bookstore
A Different Drummer Books is Bookstore on 513 Locust Street.
513 Locust Street
What the map tells us about bookstores in Hamilton
10 of the 46 list their opening hours on the map, which is genuinely useful — bookshops keep civilised hours, so the listed ones are usually reliable.
14 have websites listed. Worth a look for events — readings and signings get announced there first.
There's a cluster: 2 of them sit on 240 Leighland Avenue, so you can string those into one walk and drive between the rest.
3 of the shops are tagged as selling used books — the second-hand shelves are where out-of-print gems and first editions turn up for pocket change.
The Hamilton bookstore crawl
Making a day of it in Hamilton? Work this order: Indigo, Poets Pulput, Indigo on 5015 Glen Erin Drive, Indigo on 1250 Brant Street, Chapters on 3050 Vega Boulevard, Good Books, Indigo, and Altered States Comics on 1701 Lakeshore Road West. That's the bookstore crawl in one sensible loop, no backtracking. 38 more are listed below.
Bookstore tips for Hamilton
A few things worth knowing before you work through Hamilton's bookstores:
- Read the first page in the shop at Indigo. The first-page test never lies. If it doesn't grab you standing there, it won't grab you at home.
- Support the shop's own publishing at Poets Pulput. Some independents publish local authors or print their own anthologies. Buying them funds the ecosystem directly.
- Don't judge by the window display. The front table is marketing. The back shelves are the shop's real taste. Walk the whole floor.
- Bring a tote bag. Bookshops and tote bags are a natural pair. You'll need it — nobody leaves with the one book they came for.
Good to know
We searched about 40 km around Hamilton — that covers the town itself plus the surrounding communities you'd reasonably drive to. Listings come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by local volunteers, so a brand-new bookstore in Hamilton can take a while to appear. Spotted a closure among the 46, or a bookstore we missed entirely? The map is the source of truth here — one OpenStreetMap edit corrects it for everyone.
We don't list prices — they change constantly and vary by edition. What we list is the where: real shops, verified by real mappers, in alphabetical order with no favourites.
If you run one of the 46 listed here and something's wrong — a closure, a move, new hours — the fix is the same: update the shop on OpenStreetMap and the correction flows through to this page on the next daily refresh.
Bookstore listings for Hamilton: 46 mapped from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors; individual photo credits appear in captions. Listing data was last refreshed automatically — verify hours before visiting.