culture Scene: World’s Biggest Closing

You have until March 30 to pick up some titles at the World's Biggest Bookstore.

SHOW CAPTION  ✉ Share on:  311226 Empty display stands looking kind of like the most depressing cakes of all time. lodoelaura-1 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-1-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-1.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-1.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-1/ lodoelaura-1 0 0 311234 Empty shelves/probably also a design for a new U of T building. lodoelaura-9 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-9-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-9.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-9.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-9/ lodoelaura-9 0 0 311233 lodoelaura-8 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-8-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-8.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-8.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-8/ lodoelaura-8 0 0 311232 Stairs that will take you to more rooms that don't have any books in them. lodoelaura-7 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-7-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-7.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-7.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-7/ lodoelaura-7 0 0 311231 Tintin is gone, children. Tintin is gone. lodoelaura-6 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-6-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-6.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-6.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-6/ lodoelaura-6 0 0 311230 A wall that could one day form part of a new Keg Steakhouse. lodoelaura-5 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-5-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-5.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-5.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-5/ lodoelaura-5 0 0 311229 We will never buy another discounted illustrated history of trains from this store again. lodoelaura-4 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-4-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-4.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-4.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-4/ lodoelaura-4 0 0

311228 Sigh. lodoelaura-3 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-3-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-3.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-3.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-3/ lodoelaura-3 0 0 311227 BOOKS. THERE ARE BOOKS DOWN THERE. lodoelaura-2 https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-2-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-2.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/lodoelaura-2.jpg 1024 819 https://torontoist.com/2014/03/scene-worlds-biggest-closing/slide/lodoelaura-2/ lodoelaura-2 0 0



WHERE: 20 Edward Street

WHEN: March 28, 2014

WHAT: The World’s Biggest Bookstore, which has been a Toronto bookselling institution since 1980, and will be closing up shop for good on March 30. Some thought it was an overly loud, barn-like place (kind of like Honest Ed’s, which will also be closing in the near-ish future); others developed a marked fondness for its lack of pretension (much as they developed a marked fondness for Book City’s Annex location, which will also be closing). What we’re getting at, really, is that there are many places we’re fond of that are going away, and while we’re trying to convince ourselves that future generations will form emotional attachments to the restaurants that will likely take this bookstore’s place, we haven’t yet been successful.