Perfect Books

307 reviews

258 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L9, Canada

www.perfectbooks.ca

+16132316468

About

Perfect Books is a Book store located at 258 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L9, Canada. It has received 307 reviews with an average rating of 4.8 stars.

Photos

Hours

Monday10AM-8PM
Tuesday10AM-6PM
Wednesday11AM-5PM
Thursday10AM-6PM
Friday10AM-6PM
Saturday10AM-6PM
Sunday10AM-8PM

F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The address of Perfect Books: 258 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L9, Canada

  • Perfect Books has 4.8 stars from 307 reviews

  • Book store

  • "Perfect Books is a great little space"

    "In 2020, I began ordering my books online from PB, to liberate myself from Amazon and spend my money locally"

    "Every single book in this store has been read by staff members"

    "I went into Perfect Books today and was expecting a good experience"

    "Went over a few months ago and asked where their french section was and the lady behind the desk (middle age, blond/grey hair, glasses) laughed in my face and stated they don't carry any as there is no need being so close to the Quebec boarder"

Reviews

  • Abbie Sizer McIntosh

Perfect Books is a great little space. Despite it's compact size, books here are well organized and easy to find. It's quiet and inviting in here, allowing me to stay and browse the shelves for a significant time, and they even let my little pup in to browse with me. Staff here are helpful and sweet, and they are great for helping make recommendations. Tips for shopping here? They have a frequent buyer program, that earns you credit towards a purchase. Also, check out their 'Book of the Month' which is offered at a discount. Overall, I would definitely recommend visiting here and will certainly be back again. It's so important to support local shops!

  • Grant Andrew Dzuba

In 2020, I began ordering my books online from PB, to liberate myself from Amazon and spend my money locally. Their online ordering is smooth, and they had all but one of about 15 of the titles I was looking for available for order. Wait times for an order to be filled can be up to a couple of weeks for very obscure titles. For consumerists with an outsized sense of entitlement for next-day order gratification, I suggest that you all learn to lighten up. The staff I have dealt with are friendly and responsive, without any of the obsequious submissiveness that characterizes customer service these days.

  • Christian Sabourin

Every single book in this store has been read by staff members. They are passionate about books and they cherry-pick only publications of quality. If you are looking for award-winning, witty, well-researched books, this is the place to go. They often have autographed editions! They have a book of the month at a discounted price and a loyalty program. This is one of the rare and last independent bookstores and it’s worth tackling the road in construction to visit this jewel.

  • Veronica Dasilva

I went into Perfect Books today and was expecting a good experience. I wanted to buy a $10 sale book and I explained to the manager Mark I worked on Elgin street and I asked for the discount. He explained to me “well it’s only $10 do you really think you deserve a discount” I said yes I do I work on Elgin. Not a very good experience for the first time going. Even if it’s just a small discount it helps and is appreciated

  • Sara Ouellette

Went over a few months ago and asked where their french section was and the lady behind the desk (middle age, blond/grey hair, glasses) laughed in my face and stated they don't carry any as there is no need being so close to the Quebec boarder. Felt very embarrassed to ask a normal question in the capital of our country that has TWO official languages (french being one of them).

  • Michaela K

There’s no other bookstore quite like Perfect Books! The range of books is consistently impressive and the store is always so friendly and warm. Ordering books that aren’t in-store is also incredibly easy- they typically show up pretty quickly and the process is smooth! Also, the points program is probably the best in the city! One of my all-time favourite places in the city :)

  • Jana Sedivy

What a joy to find this thriving independent bookstore! I've been trying to ween myself off of Amazon/Indigo and Perfect Books is the perfect solution. They have a great selection of books and anything they don't have in stock, they are happy to order for you. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Their online ordering site is also very robust and easy to use.

  • Ivan Mironov

What separates this book store from a Chapters is the care and personal touches - I love reading reviews on the books their store associates have read, and the collection of books is interesting and mostly free of junk literature. A really awesome place to just walk in, head to the shelves and open a book at random, because it will most likely be good.

  • Fatima Hamade

I was happy to see the exact book I was looking for readily available here. I noticed a good selection of books about Palestine (I will have to come back for those another time). The staff were friendly as well. I would much rather support an independent bookstore than a large company with questionable morals. I highly recommend coming here!

  • Deganawidah Ayenwatha

Clean ambience, quality selection - has a great range of indigenous authors. This place sponsors writers for the Ottawa writers festival, and it's an independent local bookstore. Orders come in quickly and they are patient holding your them long after you are notified. Ok, you can save a dollar or two at Amazon or Chapters but why?

  • travelswithadiplomat

Quirky bookshop with an interesting, kind owner happy to chat about life, books...anything. The shop isn't like an Indigo, has a strong focus on books you'd see on shelves outside Canada, like the UK. A lot of local authors given prominence. I liked it. Once you spend $100 then you earn 10% off your next books. Good deal.

  • Danny Bednar

IF you're buying a recently released book, they'll have it. good selection on older stuff too. Staff know their stuff. I don't read much fiction so when I am buying gifts they always steer me right. They support local authors and causes and are the kinds of business we need in communities to keep the streets vibrant.

  • Tiarra Ward

No words to describe all the great combinations of words I’ve found in this store. It’s our weekend routine, we love the selection and the people. It’s a vital part of our life here in Ottawa. Not only is their in person store amazing, but they can order almost any book for you through their online store.

  • David Adair

I could have spent several hours here and a lot of money. Every time I looked there was an interesting book or a book I had been looking for. The staff was very knowledgeable. There was even a book signing by an author when I was there. If you love books and browsing this is the place for your.

  • James C

This is one of my two favourite book stores in Ottawa. It not only has a great selection of books, but it is proudly independent (something that I value), while the staff are very knowledgeable. In an age in which many book stores are closing, I am glad to see that this business has grown.

  • M T

I am grateful for discovering this wonderful bookstore in the heart of Ottawa! An amazing and vast selection of books and a welcoming, helpful and joyful staff. I am definitely recommending this bookstore and will be pleased to visit it again when I will be done with the books I bought!

  • michael ozga

I’ve purchase two or three books here per month for about a year now. The staff is very friendly and professional, not just with regulars but with all who visit. They have a great selection, and whatever they don’t have in stock they can have it ordered in for you within roughly a week.

  • Anthony Lorbach

It was so nice to visit an independent bookstore. The selection was outstanding for such a small space. The staff was both friendly and helpful. I wish I live in Ottawa and could be a frequent customer. Whenever I visit Ottawa, I will make it a point to stop there and buy something.

  • Meghan O'Keefe

Best little local book shop around! Their website makes it super easy to set up an account and shop for titles. They were able to order in a book I was looking for and it arrived way faster than I thought :) A massive thank you to all the staff at Perfect Books! Y'all are awesome!!

  • Sydney Bubis

Super friendly local bookshop - highly recommended. Great in-store selection of books for the size of the store. If they don't have a book in stock, they'll happily put in a special order. Consider supporting them over Amazon, if you can - they appreciate the business.

  • Jake Bornheimer

Amazing independent bookstore! While their store is not huge, it is always thoughtfully stocked with a great selection of books. However you can also order books through them, making them the best way to buy a new book in Ottawa. Support your independent book stores!

  • Aisling Kara Berube

Such a wonderful little bookstore! The staff are super warm and welcoming and the selection is awesome. I even found a book that was sold out everywhere else! So happy I decided to visit here. It's definitely going to be a place I stop by everytime I'm in Ottawa.

  • Cayley Fleming

Very cute bookstore with a great selection of books. They also have lots of cute tote bags and other things like socks, tarot cards etc. The staff was very friendly. I had to pop in and buy a few books to support them because I love an independant book store!

  • Patricia Galbraith

I was looking for a specific book months ago during a visit to Ottawa. The friendly woman offered to search for it and would keep me informed. Today, the book is in my my hands and I am delighted! Thank you for your persistence and dedication to your clients!

  • Amy Thompson

used to love this store, just went in and the workers were very rude, on there phones the whole time and rolled their eyes when i asked for help. Ordered the wrong book in for me and told me to go away because she was on her phone texting, won’t be going back

  • Jean Claude Nault

If you love books like I do this is the place to visit and enjoy .. everything is easily found .. plenty of space to walk and explore .. the staff are knowledgeable and very friendly .. like being with close friends .. thank you to the owners and staff ..

  • Christina Hamilton

Fantastic little store! I rarely leave this place without purchasing something. They're not huge, but they're great at distilling the selection down to the best available books to suit a variety of interests. My favourite new book store, by far!

  • chris bates

Like the name says, this is the perfect bookstore. Book selection is curated with an interesting selection of politics and history without overwhelming the customer. And there’s also plenty of fiction, cookbooks and other nonfiction like

  • Laura B

Love this book store! I got a couple books for Christmas gift here and their selection was amazing. I really appreciated their collection of books by Indigneous authors and love to see them close to the front and spotlighted. Thank you!!

  • Jojo Kracko

A wonderful independent bookstore. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Fantastic selection of books from small presses (and mainstream publishers too). They carry a large number of books by Canadian authors, which is always great to see.

  • Julian Worker

Superb choice of brand new books in fiction, travel, murder / mystery, history, and classics as well as the best selection of the Oxford series "A Very Short Introduction" I have ever seen - there were over 100 titles to choose from.

  • Shawn Hartwick

Talk about a fairy tale bookstore. Great little spot for the introvert who enjoys meandering their way through a lovely little shop. Fantastic, handwritten suggestions posted underneath many titles one might otherwise overlook.

  • Jad Ghie

Very nice book store, it doesn't have a huge selection like a Chapter's but still a selection of good quality spanning across different genres. You have to deal with the downtown parking situation, so not very convenient.

  • ray battams

I was impressed with the fact that I wasn't part of a consumers feedong mechanism. A huge variety without being forcefed or manipulated. Took me back to the bookstores of the last millenium with the cleanliness of noew

  • Wil Peters

This store goes a step beyond with in-store book recommendations. This place just makes you want to run home and start reading the latest book they placed on the shelves for you to find. A real gem that’s aptly named.

  • Meg R

Really cool bookstore, lots of unique selections, verrrrry diverse offerings. Enjoyed browsing the graphic novels section, full of outstanding titles and many I had not heard of. Some sweet gifts too!

  • N Ross

A local bookstore with knowledgeable staff who knows how to showcase a variety of titles from local and bestselling authors. A small but mighty store. Every neighbourhood should have a shop like this.

  • Alex Sereda

Great little locally-owned bookstore in a walkable neighbourhood. Love stopping by here on a weekend stroll through the shops and brunch places. You can find some rare titles as well as new releases.

  • Martha English-MacCaull

Visited this wonderful book store this afternoon on Elgin Street. Awesome carefully curated selection of books. Lots of Canadian content ❤️ ❤️❤️. Support local independent booksellers!!❤️❤️

  • Keith Williams

I was very much looking forward to shopping here and supporting an independent bookstore. Unfortunately, one of the cashiers had their mask on their chin and that's the end of my browsing.

  • Donnie Warren

this is my fave ottawa bookstore!! incredible selection of books it feels like every book i pick up to look at is something that i want to take home with me... vibe is really nice and cozy

  • Paul Merriam

Outstanding staff, excellent customer service, amazing selection of books. The staff reviews (available for many titles) are very helpful. Good SF section, good local Ottawa section.

  • Julian Fernandes

Great service and location. They have a great selection books and if they don't have it in store, they can place one on special order at no charge. I love the customer service here

  • Jamie Gray

Great service, easy folks to talk to. I had to place a larger order and needed it in a short amount of time, and the guarentees were great! I'd recommend Perfect Books to anybody.

  • Arianne

My favorite local bookstore! Wonderful selection and phenomenal staff. I hope they bring back the handwritten staff picks, that used to be one of my favorite parts of the store :)

  • Mary Soderstrom

Excellent independent bookstore. Wonderful selection of books, friendly and knowledgable staff, frequent literary events. In short, just the kind of bookstore that bookies crave.

  • Jillian Wesselow

Despite its size, there is such a large selection of books here. Both popular titles and beloved classics. They also do delivery, support your local independent bookstore ❤️❤️

  • Bre Ronquist

My absolute favourite bookstore. Amazing selection and very kind employees. The vibes are great and I always leave with multiple titles added to my “to read” list.

  • Zachary Henry

As the name suggests this place is perfectly curated. You will be able to find almost everything you need or can order in. They also offer an inhouse points system

  • Brayden Raymond

Great selection of books and tote bags surprisingly! Glad to be supporting local instead of Indigo/Amazon who don't deserve a dollar! Will be back here soon!

  • Mini Anthan

I love this store. Amazing atmosphere and staff. Always a pleasure to order my books here and go into pick it up. And the points program is pretty generous

  • Alia Khan

This place has a really good selection of books across different genre! There was a graphic novel section and I was able to pick up The Sandman, Volume 1.

  • Brittany Waring

Our bookstore go-to! They have excellent customer service and a great website which you can easily order books through when they don't have in stock.

  • anastasiya boika

Fantastic small business. Always have an amazing selection, knowledgeable and friendly staff, and are very involved in Ottawa 's literary events

  • Gabriel Maracle

Great bookstore on Elgin with a pretty good collection of books. It expanded significantly in floor space over the past two or three years.

  • Nathen

I don’t normally read books, but I found the perfect book for me here and it was so cheap too! All of the staff were so incredibly nice.

  • bob bobson

Fantastic local bookstore, very helpful staff, and a great selection of books. I'll definitely be coming back for future book releases.

  • Olivia Harvey

Lovely bookstore downtown :) if you want something ordered in you can request it at the register. Staff are very sweet and helpful.

  • KJPinksen Gmail

Wonderful little bookstore. If they don’t have it they will get it. Easy to browse online before you go. Very competitive pricing.

  • Rebecca Norton

Quaint local book store with a well-curated new fiction section. They offer a diverse selection of Canadian and BIPOC authors.

  • Hana Solène Woodbridge

Love this shop! They have an absolutely wonderful selection of books and the staff are always super knowledgeable and helpful.

  • Mark Christopher

I wanted some books that were not in stock anywhere. Perfect Books was very friendly and helpful to order them. Thank you.

  • William James

Excellent customer service. I enjoyed myself looking at books. They have all kinds of different Books for all age ranges.

  • Kate Dinsmore

When I want a book, Always come here. Excellent choice of books, and none of the silliness you see at the big chains.

  • Terry Anderson

Very helpful in finding an out of print book. Also had a new book thta I cold not find anywhere else. Great. Store.

  • Test Preparation Services

You'll also be supporting a bookstore that's done a lot to help bring some great writers to host events in Ottawa

  • Bailey P Goodwin-Landry

Amazing little book shop, a little hard to know what you're looking at. However, it is still totally worth it.

  • Aparna Apu

Absolutely great bookstore! I started ordering books from Perfect Books online during the lockdown, and the

  • Bruce wood

Once again great service & staff from Perfect Books. So nice to be able to support a local independent shop.

  • Marjorie Gómez

I really enjoy this bookstore. It is small but it has a good variety of books. It is worthy to check out

  • Jennifer Douek

This is one of my favourite book stores. They’re lovely and knowledgeable and have a great selection.

  • Dawson Fleming

Wonderful staff along the stretch of Elgin, with a great collection of international and local picks!

  • Vanessa Foran

Very friendly and helpful staff, I’ve ordered several books through them and they arrived promptly

  • Peter Unger

My bookstore of choice in Ottawa. Great staff, great atmosphere, great selection and independent!

  • Nancy MacDonald

fabulous, beautiful book store with such an interesting and varied selection of books...

  • Jo Sorochinsky

A great bookstore with sn impressive collection. Quick to order books they don't carry.

  • Andy Dabydeen

Not an understatement - it's a perfect little bookstore. How bookstores ought to be.

  • Cyhieraeth P

A wonderful little store with friendly customer service and a great selection.

  • Anthony Hai

Great independent bookshop! Good variety and quality in spite of the size.

  • Kevin Slezak

Super kind staff, great selection of books. Cute store all around.

  • Gavin

Very nice bookstore. Lovely quality books and large selection.

  • Kevin Sandell

Awesome independent book store that actually focuses on books.

  • Rhi Murphy

Cute book store :) They always have a lot of books on sale

  • peter W

Perfectly Perfect! Thank you for all the beautiful books.

  • Nilly Hasanova

Lots of great books. The staff are very knowledgeable!

  • Jean Bellefleur

Great selection of books nice atmosphere for shopping

  • Fergus Maclaren

Best independent bookstore on Elgin Street.

  • Martin Witte

Good bookstore, wide selection of books

  • Larry Budge

Excellent book store with great staff!

  • Dana Daley

Helpful staff, great selection.

Similar places

Indigo

3549 reviews

50 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J7, Canada

Indigo - Pinecrest

2358 reviews

Pinecrest Shopping Centre, 2735 Iris St, Ottawa, ON K2C 3Z7, Canada

Chapters

2163 reviews

2401 City Park Dr, Gloucester, ON K1J 1G1, Canada

Indigo

1914 reviews

400 Earl Grey Dr Unit 1, Kanata, ON K2T 1B9, Canada

Black Squirrel Books & Espresso Bar

1247 reviews

1073 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3W9, Canada

Indigo Barrhaven

1101 reviews

125 Riocan Ave N1, Nepean, ON K2J 5G4, Canada

Indigo

889 reviews

2210 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J5, Canada

Indigo - Innes

724 reviews

2025 Mer-Bleue Rd, Orléans, ON K4A 3T9, Canada

Carleton University Bookstore

531 reviews

University Centre, 173 Nideyinàn (formerly, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada

Librairie du soleil, Byward Market, Ottawa

411 reviews

33 George St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8W5, Canada