About Us
Book Fair is a family-owned & family-run used bookstore and comic shop. The used bookstore was started back in 1978 as Family Book Exchange II and was located on Kennedy St, north of Portage Avenue. The location was expropriated forcing the store to move onto Portage Avenue.
The used bookstore and comic shop were located a few doors apart on Portage Avenue, buying out Blue Circle Books and changing the name to Book Fair. They were expropriated again to make way for Portage Place Shopping Center. The bookstore and the comic shop and Ab D Cards (sports collectibles) moved to the old CIBC building on the north corner of Portage Ave and Donald St across from Eaton's (now the MTS Centre).
They enjoyed quite a brisk business, as downtown Winnipeg was vibrant and a destination spot. A number of years later, the hotel that owned the building wanted to expand and Book Fair was on the move to the south side of Portage Avenue to the old Wilson`s Stationary store, across from Portage Place.
Book Fair`s used bookstore was on the main floor and the comic shop was on the lower level. Ab D Cards was in the back of the store on the main floor and up on the mezzanine. They were at this location for quite a few years.
When rumours started that Manitoba Hydro was looking for a city block located in downtown Winnipeg, the landlord did not want to renew the lease, in case they would be successful in selling out to Manitoba Hydro. At the end of the lease, Book Fair moved a few doors down and stayed there, until it was confirmed that the city block was bought out to make way for the new Manitoba Hydro building. Ab D Cards had moved down Portage Ave to the location across from Advance Electronics.
Book Fair made the move East one block to the old Record City building (their current location) at 340 Portage Ave, on the south side of Portage Avenue, the block next to the MTS Centre.
Book Fair is connected to the downtown skywalk, with stairs from the walkway coming down into the bookstore. Elevator access from the skywalk to street (sidewalk) level is only a few doors West of Book Fair.
Skywalk entrance is CLOSED right now due to Covid regulations. Please enter via the sidewalk entrance at 340 Portage Ave.