It may be small, but a downtown Midland business has proven to be mighty successful just five years after opening.
Since opening its doors on April 1, 2016, Georgian Bay Books has become a popular locale for area residents looking for the latest fiction and non-fiction offerings.
“We decided to take a chance and open up our own bookstore,” explains co-owner Sarah Kenney, who runs the store with business partner Sandy Dunsford.
“We worked together at a bookstore that closed and left Midland.”
Located near the corner of King Street and Dominion Avenue, the main street store packs a lot of punch into its footprint with bookshelves lining the walls and filled to the brim with a wide assortment of titles and genres.
“We sell new books, journals, puzzles and we have recently expanded our Manga section,” Kenney notes.
“For a small store we have a great selection of books for adults and children and we take finding the right book for you as a personal challenge. “We can also special order books.”
They also have a handy catalogue system for searching new releases.
And if, by chance, they don’t have what you are looking for, just ask and they will try to order it; from the latest by a beloved author to an out-of-print classic.
They also have a dedicated section devoted to younger readers and parents looking for that perfect bedtime story. As well, they have a neat selection of fiction-inspired clothing and other miscellaneous book-related items.
And since Georgian Bay Books is a community-friendly bookstore, they like to promote local authors and artists and invite residents to keep checking for upcoming author signings and sightings.
“We have a lot of fun at this store and we enjoy talking books with our customers and friends,” Kenney adds.
And reviews for the store show their customers agree; it’s a great place to visit.
“Staff is very knowledgeable and spent a considerable amount of time with my son finding just the right book,” one customer says. “Better than Amazon any day.”
Adds another reviewer: “Best bookstore to get a great read for your vacation or life. The owners are kind, and generous with their wealth of knowledge around the books in their store.
“I loved that I felt like I was getting a book recommendation from a friend. They do great stuff for the community as well, and I loved that they were mindful of the COVID situation as well.”
To find your next book, visit www.georgianbaybooks.ca.
