The Link's Guide to Bookstores & Cafés

  • + ABOUT
  • Space is somewhat of a vague topic.

    For many of us, the word calls to mind outer space. But what about space that's closer to home? In our everyday lives, space can mean something physical, but it can also be something that you can't simply reach out and touch. We aren't always aware of the space around us, but when it disappears it can feel like there's something missing.

    Whether it's a mountain we don't know very much about, or an old building that has been transformed, space is tied to our understanding of the world and our place in it. Whether big- or small-scale, space can represent anything from personal space to discovering a new place to buy a used book.

    This special issue is a first for The Link; for the first time, we've created a web-only experience that allows us to expand into the ever-changing online space that has become a major part of our identity.

    How and why are we changing, using—or in some cases, destroying—the space we have in our city? Read on to find out.

    -Erin Sparks and Katie McGroarty, Space Issue Coordinators

    site designed by Julia Wolfe



  • → NEXT


  • Much More Than a City Park by Elysha del Giusto-Enos

  • The Link's Guide to Bookstores and Cafés by Flora Hammond and Jane Gatensby

  • Renewing Montreal's Heritage Buildings by Vivien Leung

  • The Cost of Space by Jane Gatensby

  • Mapping Montreal Art by Elysha del Giusto-Enos



    • Montreal in mid-February can seem like a dark, snowy hold you'll never get out of. But if escaping to a Caribbean island over the break isn't in the cards for you, don't despair—we've compiled a guide to the city's greatest independent bookstores, paired with the coziest places to pick up a cup of something delicious. They don't call it reading week for nothing.

    Oui, Montréal et mi-février sont synonymes de grotte-sans-lumière. Mais même si vous ne faites pas partie des heureux élus qui s'envolent vers une destination exotique pendant la pause de mi-session, ne désespérez pas. The Link a assorti pour vous les meilleures librairies indépendantes en ville à des cafés où sombrer dans un canapé tout l'après-midi et se délecter de quelque boisson chaude. Semaine de lecture oblige.

    Hover over a marker to read about each bookstore. Those marked in red are in French, blue for English.