Chapters

gonzo, at end of month, lots of clearance sales…

Chapters has long been one of my favorite stores to visit, not just to pass time but also to explore the stationery section. Whether I’m looking for specific literary titles or just browsing around, this store never fails to keep me busy. I always head to where the stationery section is because I love all the unique notepads, cards, supplies, and gadgets one can find there. Albeit a little on the pricey side, it’s still worth checking out.
As much as I love Chapters in general, this particular location is not one of my favorites. For me, one of the biggest draws when I visit Chapters is to peruse a selection of books or magazines and to be able to sit down and read them. The obvious lack of chairs where one can sit comfortably in silence is a big drawback for me. Yea there’s a Starbucks in there (which Chapters doesn’t? they all do), but compared to the other locations, there aren’t many tables and chairs at all. I’ve also heard from some people that parking in this area is difficult to get, but I’ve never had a problem finding a spot here (watch me jinx myself — the next time I go there it’ll take me 15 minutes to find a spot).
I do like that they have frequent sales and feature new titles often. There’s tons of second hand books (sold at a discounted price) available if you don’t mind buying second hand books. The staff is also very knowledgeable and friendly. Whenever I used to purchase hardcover books, they’d always ask me if I want to join the rewards card membership which entitles me to 10% savings or something like that. I don’t remember exactly now, but I think I’d have to rejoin every year and there’s always a fee to join. I say it’s worth it if you buy a lot of books. For someone like me, probs not.
3.5 stars out of 5, a good ³⁄₅ on Unilocal.I’d definitely come back here, although if I had a choice, I’d probably go to either the Robson location or the Granville location.
Review #17 — 30 Day Unilocal Challenge

I really want to give a higher rating, but for the last year or so, it’s been very difficult to shop here for a few reasons.
First would be the parking. My goodness, there has been times when I’ve been driving around for over 10 minutes searching for a spot. I would park across to the other parking lot, but I’m a coward and scared I’ll be towed for not shopping on that side.
Another would be the constant recommendations. It’s great that a sales rep comes up to you and greets you, but when you are perusing and browsing, it can get quite annoying when a rep keeps coming up to you with their favourite books. They hand me a book, I’ll read the synopsis but if I’m not interested, I have to put it back because now the rep is gone. I could just leave it on a random shelf, but maybe it’s my personality, I have to put it back where it came from. I love books, but not to the point where I’ll buy anything I’m recommended. Buying books is a personal activity, and being left alone unless asked would be great.
This doesn’t have to do with this particular location, but I ordered a book online one time and it said that this location had one copy. I chose «pick up at the store» assuming they would sell me that copy. It didn’t say otherwise when putting in my order. I go to their store 3 days later, and tell them I came to pick up and they tell me it’s not in. I say that they have 1 copy available, so I don’t understand why they say it’s not in. Apparently, even though you’ve chosen in-​store pick up and there are copies available, they still ship from a warehouse out of the city. I could’ve picked up that copy available in the store but then I wouldn’t get the online discount. So in the end I had to wait 2 weeks. It’s pretty useless for telling me how many copies are available at the store when it’s irrelevant to online shopping. By the way, the book I bought was a wonderful street photography book of Vivian Maier in case you’re wondering.
¹⁵⁄₃₀ of 30 Days of Unilocal

I do not like you hovering over me when I have said no to your help a handful of times! This makes me feel awkward. Then I do not like when you follow me around the store.): I understand that you are trying to be helpful, but this is going a wee bit far!
Anyways I typically do not like buying my books at Chapters, and I really do like second hand book stores and the like… but sometimes I like coming in here because they have massive sales on books.
No, not everyone will want to read Einstein’s works, or French literature, or books about architecture and modern spaces… but my obscure tastes benefit me greatly. ;)
They also have many non-​fiction, and fiction books on sale. Books about home décor, cooking, crime, and more!
I got 4 books for $ 18!
Go for the sales!

A bookstore, and it is big box, which also houses a Starbucks, which probably means they are getting business, at the expense of reading books and not buying anything, maybe? A Chapters store all alone in a plaza where there is nothing much, exactly what this one really is. The only time I would make my way to this store is if I was eating in this plaza, and my laziness, even in eating in this plaza, would make me jump into my car to drive to this side of the plaza to go read some books, as there already is a Starbucks at the front of the plaza (near the No.3 Road side).
A book store is just a book store! Not this one, where they sell other stuff that maybe associated with reading, tea cups, tea pots, wine glasses, wait, wine glasses, drinking and books obviously do go together if I base this on what they sell here! The store is roomy, as in big, so you won’t walk into any tight corners, also quiet, so if your looking for an alternative, and many people, although they do not like big box stores, have to like the calm and quietness of this place.

This store has books that are often sold out in town, it’s a bit out of the way so titles for some books like travel and cooking when sold out in Vancouver can be found here. The staff at the in store Starbucks are great.

I still love those small book stores where you have to find the books you want the old fashioned way. I still love the book stores that have second hand books that are all piled up in a corner and stacks of them are mismatched so that you have to find that little gem of literature that you never thought you’d find but never knew you were looking for.
Except, this is Chapters. Big, bold and quiet. Like a library without the hot librarians and the dewey decimal system.
So, I’m not a fan, but I am a member and I do buy the cheap books for $ 4.99 here. I can find those gems and keep my mind quenched with stories and although I don’t really like it… It’s like having that craving for a Big Mac. You don’t need it. you shouldn’t have it, but on occasion you do.
This is my literary shortfall for all things quick and dirty to read.
Like a dry hump novel sitting on a shelf waiting for it’s cover to be opened and the corners of the pages to be folded to show where you’ve read.
Sometimes I just can’t find that novel that I’ve been spending years trying to find. I can’t always be Indian Jones searching for his Laura Croft.
Like a video game, I want to use the cheat codes to get to where I want to be.
Chapters does this all for me.
And I bought this really neat messenger bag, olive green, canvas cloth and big enough to hold all my junk.
I know I’m repeating myself in this review. Sound similar huh?
I’m not being original. I’m just writing what I feel and that is my love for reading… junk. whatever I get my hands on.
The membership card also has it’s rewards.
Typo’s free of charge.
Thanks to crappy I-​phones and computers that have broken keyboards.
Read on.

Avoid a Chapters Store…
We went in to purchase some books for the kids. Their uncle went to pay for these books in US Currency. The books show the prices listed on the back covers in both US and Cdn prices. The sale rep accepted the US Currency but we were told we would have to pay the Canadian pricing regardless If it’s paid in US currency!!! WTF! Canadian pricing is more than 10−15% above the US price!!! — so much for currency parity…
Their website spins the reasons of a higher priced Cdn book. Don’t buy into their bogus explanation — local bookstores will honour the parity pricing on new books.
Btw, their exchange rate they offer is worse than what the banks offer…
Avoid these thieves…

loved this location so much, that I dutifully jogged here two out of three days of my vacation. It was pretty deserted during the day so I was happy perusing the stacks unfettered by other seekers. I knew what I was looking for, but I always love a little bookstore meander while I quickly found the book I was looking for; a gift for my sister; I couldn’t help but stumble upon their sale section.
I get a little tingle every time I scout out a massive sale section, and this time was no different. There were gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whosits and whatsits galore. You want thingamabobs they’ve got twenty. (Just a Little Mermaid for ya.) I grabbed up a double-​walled cold cup, at 75% off and a pretty in pink canvas duck bag (still uncertain what renders it «duckable»), and several other thingamabobs.
Let’s just say I was delightfully pleased by the time I made it to the check out counter. I came upon a new shop boy/​50-​year-​old-​double-​history-​major-​holding Chapter’s associate, he proceeded to ring up my purchases and describe to me in detail the ins and outs of his search for an elusive PHD. I was thoroughly entertained and laden with purchases. So with my Chapter’s goal accomplished, I got a coffee to go with a healthy dose of jazz therapy.
Bottom line… It’s the unique experiences with others that make a shopping experience good or bad, and this shop is full of astonishing characters.

no other booksellers chain in BC can compare. boredom or not, i love visiting Chapters. from rare titles to mainstream… i always feel like i can find most books here. the staff here is very helpful and they don’t bug you if you’re just sitting by a bookshelf and reading. they let you be– unlike many other stores in Richmond.
i don’t fancy the long lines and the crowded-​ness of the parking lot, either. we always have to park elsewhere each visit. boo.

If you’re in Richmond and looking for books, there simply are no other options but to swing by here. They are by far the largest book store available and typically have good stock on even the more obscure titles.
The only thing annoying about this location is the parking lot is almost always packed full meaning it’s difficult to get a spot.