Pages on Kensington is one of Calgary’s oldest independent bookstores. Located in the heart of the Kensington Village shopping and entertainment district, Pages is Calgary’s literary meeting place. They offer over 10,000 titles in stock at any given time and, through their special order service, they can access most North American titles in print. Their staff are all avid readers—they can help their customers track down that needed volume, suggest a book for a child’s birthday present, suggest book club titles, or simply help choose a great book to read on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

In their fun, multi-level space, Pages on Kensington is truly a special place for bookworms to explore. The facade of the building was redone in 1993, but the interior still has the same creaky wooden floors as when it was the first branch library of the Calgary Public Library in 1947. Drawn in by the street-side bargain book display out front, readers can browse new fiction on the main floor, new non-fiction upstairs, or find used treasures in the basement. Pages buys used books for credit or cash, delivers book purchases free of charge in Calgary, hosts local author events, offers amazing staff recommendations in-store and via book lists on their website, and actively serves local teachers with book lists and school discounts. They also have a newer sister-store in Inglewood, called The Next Page, further expanding Calgary readers’ opportunities for delight and discovery.