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SEEN IN VANCOUVER #447: Veteran Book Lovers Open “The Paper Hound” On Pender

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A used bookstore is opening it’s doors at 344 West Pender Street this week.  The Paper Hound – which deals in fairly priced used and rare books and a limited selection of new books from local presses like Anvil and Arsenal Pulp Press – is owned by Kim Koch and Rod Clarke. The two bibliophiles met while working (for almost a decade each) down the block at MacLeods Books, the most famous – and definitely the most charmingly photogenic – of the several bookstores that cluster in these parts (see also Criterion Books at 434 Pender, Albion Books at 523 Richards, and Stephen Lunsford Books – by appointment only – at 207 West Hastings). A few more and the area will start to look like the Welsh book village of Hay-On-Wye. Wouldn’t that be nice! The Paper Hound – which we peeked into during their preparations for opening – will fit right in with its lovely wood floors, brick walls, and racks of collected ephemera (think old book marks, receipts, letters, cards, photos and grocery lists – customers are encouraged to add to these treasures). It’s a real looker (dig the custom shelving was milled/designed by East Van woodshop Nagy Ne) and a positive shot in the arm for this city. “A new bookstore is a nice counter-narrative to Vancouver’s recent trend of cultural shuttering,” says Koch, and we couldn’t agree more.

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344 W Pender St. (between Homer & Hamilton) | Sun-Wed, 9am-7pm; Thurs, Fri, Sat, 9am-8pm

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There are 8 comments

  1. Congratulations and well done Kim, when we get over to Vancouver we’ll be sure to drop in to see you and The Paper Hound.
    Bob

  2. What a wonderful place, great space and a terrific stock. The risk they’re running is that they’re so good, bibliophiles are going to be unwilling to recommend the place, in hopes of keeping competition for their wares to a minimum.

  3. Wtg Rod, if I hadn’t already sold my library to your previous employer, it would be yours. Congratulations from Tony and Helen, Saltspring Island.

  4. Rod and Kim! Congrats! I’m coming to visit you soon, I wish I could bring a bunch of my books over the ferry to give/sell to you for your store (I’m downsizing my philosophy collection quite a bit). Kim if you’re ever in Victoria again soon, let me know, we’ll have you over for dinner!!!

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