Book City in the Annex

It became much more than simply a store: it was a meeting place for writers, many of whom lived in the neighbourhood, academics and a book-loving clientele. Its slogan: “Classy, Comfortable & Cheap.” Michael and John reminisce about the book business and some of the people who used to drop by the store, which was founded by Frans Dunker, whose family was in book publishing in Holland, and Max Layton, writer Irving Layton’s son. (Max was to leave the business a year or so after the store opened.) Frans was a pioneer, introducing discounts on new books. He also chose an unlikely neighbourhood to open in – Toronto’s Hungarian village. But the business thrived. Over the years, Frans expanded to other locations in the city. Unfortunately, the popular Annex store closed in 2014. The building had been sold, and a combination of substantial rent hikes and competition from big box stores and Amazon reduced the viability of the business at that location. Several Book City locations continue to operate.