The smell of paper hangs in the air at The Book Market in Nepean, where the aisles are packed with stacks of novels, comic books and well-worn classics. As sunlight filters through the large front windows, it’s quiet, except for the hum from a radio and the occasional soft shuffle of pages being turned.
But soon, even these sounds will fade.
After almost half a century of serving Ottawa’s west end, the Merivale Road store’s doors will close for good Nov. 1, leaving only its sister store in Kemptville.
For owner Dianne Savoy, the decision comes with mixed emotions. After decades behind the counter, she says she’s ready to step back, but closing still feels bittersweet.
“It’s been in the back of my mind for a long time to do it,” Savoy said. “I think it’s time. I’ve done my part in getting books out to the public, and I have a lot of great customers who appreciate what I’ve done. They’re just saying, ‘Have a good retirement.'”
The Book Market’s story began in Montreal, where Savoy and her family opened their first store selling new books. As the price of books rose, they switched to used books to make reading more affordable for their customers. That decision defined their business for decades. At its peak, the family operated 17 stores, including locations in Kingston, Cornwall and Toronto.
When the first store in Ottawa opened in 1980, a four-storey wonder in the heart of the Byward Market, Savoy realized the city was a natural fit. “Ottawa was always a good book-selling town,” she said. “You have a lot of government employees, and they typically are readers.”
Even after the closure of the downtown store in the 2000s, the Nepean location continued, with customers browsing endless stacks of books.
Despite the rise of e-books and online retailers, Savoy says she has seen people rediscover their love for printed books recently.
“[People are] actually coming back to books,” she said. “I’ve got young families coming in and the parents want the child to hold the book and open the book and turn the pages.”
For Savoy, one of the store’s great successes has been creating a place people could rely on. “Being able to keep it going for 50 years 一 that’s unheard of in retail. And people could count on us being here, it was kind of a landmark.”
College Coun. Laine Johnson said the store’s closure marks the end of an era in the ward. “The Book Market has been family-owned and female-led for three generations, which is a really special story for the neighbourhood,” she said.
She added that keeping small businesses thriving amid redevelopment is a growing challenge. “There’s definitely a tension,” she said. “As new developments go up, we need to make sure that the rents for first-floor commercial are still reasonable for these family-run businesses. We want to make sure that those small businesses aren’t sacrificed for these other priorities.”
Some residents find the store’s closing deeply personal. Fontana Armaud grew up in the neighbourhood. “Merivale Road looks so different compared to how it was 25 years ago. My family used to walk to the bookstore every week and sit among the stacks of the Archie comics that were on sale for 25 cents each,” she said.
Memories echo for Tessa Milks too. “I am 37 years old,” she said. “I did ballet from ages three to six and anytime my dad was the one who brought me to ballet we went to The Book Market after and we’d look for old copies of Winnie the Pooh stories.”
Savoy says she’s ready for the next chapter, one filled with family, golf and a well-earned rest. “I think it will be missed because the people who worked here knew books, and the customers knew us,” she said. “You just don’t find that one-on-one anymore.”
