Bibliophile offers a quiet refuge, literary depth, and a large Judaica collection not found elsewhere on the island of Montreal. Upon entering the bookstore on Hampstead’s Queen Mary Street, it’s not hard to see why this English language bookstore has become a local favourite: visitors are greeted by thoughtfully organized shelves of books, calligraphed signs, and the sound of a radio playing softly in the background.
Sandra Climan, Bibliophile’s owner, founded the store in 1981 with two friends. Climan had been living in Israel with her family and, upon moving to Montreal, wanted to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. Their shared interest in women, good literature, and Judaism formed the core of their business. All three women had children and, thus, could depend on each other. Ten children across three families meant there was always something going on, and as mothers, they always understood the need to take time off because of familial responsibilities. One of the women was shomer Shabbos, so the bookstore was closed every Saturday. Now, even though Climan herself is not shomer, she continues this tradition, because it has become a part of the store’s identity.
When asked about Biblophile’s Jewish aspects, Climan explains it in two ways. First, she says “its heart is Jewish because I am.” Second, “Jews write, read, and buy books.” The connections to Judaism are everywhere: from a beautiful coffee table book about synagogues to a young adult book titled Chutzpah Girls: 100 Tales of Daring Jewish Women, to the many other books that make up the store’s impressive Judaica collection. While its connections to Montreal’s Jewish community are clear, Bibliophile serves a far wider audience of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Part of this is because its surroundings have changed in its forty-five-year existence. While Hampstead was once a more homogeneous Jewish area, Climan says that you can now stand on a street corner and hear ten different languages spoken.
What stands out about Bibliophile is its genuine care for the books it sells. The bookstore is not haphazardly packed to the brim with books, but rather holds a special, meticulously curated selection; when walking through the store, Climan had a story to tell about almost every book. She chooses all of these books, drawing on recommendations from book reps, customers and her own reading. This care also comes through in its small staff, largely made up of students. “Customers like that the people who work here read,” and that books are “not just commodities,” Climan said. In addition to the store’s wide repertoire, Climan sends out a monthly newsletter called Sandra Selects to a group of subscribers. There, she picks three books that are new, special, and will appeal to a broad audience, further reflecting the deep care and knowledge of books put into the store.
Bibliophile offers Montrealers, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, a pause from the bustle of the city and a chance to engage in thoughtful reading. Its carefully selected collections are designed to engage readers of all types. This bookstore’s clear respect for literature, as well as its customers, is obvious in every detail, and it should be a bucket-list stop for all.
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