World's Biggest Bookstore

The store was founded by Jack Cole and Carl Cole, the former owners of Coles Bookstore.

At the time of its opening in November 1980, in a converted building that had housed the Olympia bowling alley,{{cite news |title=Final frame: An oral history of the World's Biggest Bookstore |url=http://arts.nationalpost.com/2014/03/14/final-frame-an-oral-history-of-the-worlds-biggest-bookstore/ |accessdate=November 23, 2014 |newspaper=National Post |date=March 14, 2014 |first=Mark |last=Medley |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20141123161142/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2014/03/14/final-frame-an-oral-history-of-the-worlds-biggest-bookstore/ |archivedate=November 23, 2014 }} it was unchallenged in its claim as the biggest bookstore in the world. Although it retained the name, the Guinness Book of World Records listed the Barnes & Noble College Booksellers location on Fifth Avenue in New York City as the largest bookstore in the world based on floor space, although Powell's Books of Portland, Oregon, is usually considered the largest based on shelf-space. Nevertheless, World's Biggest Bookstore claimed the title on the basis that it carried the most titles. The Barnes & Noble location closed in early 2014.{{cite web |url=http://pix11.com/2014/01/07/barnes-nobles-5th-ave-store-has-closed-for-good/ |title=Barnes & Noble's beloved, quirky 5th Ave store has closed for good |first=Jeremy |last=Tanner |work=PIX11.com |publisher=Tribune Broadcasting |date=January 7, 2014 |accessdate=March 21, 2015}} On December 22, 2010, Maruzen and Junkodou Shoten opened a 73,000 square foot (6804 m²) bookstore in the Umeda district of Osaka, Japan, overtaking these other three in terms of floor space.:ja:ジュンク堂書店{{Better source needed|reason=there should be a better source than just a Wikipedia page (in another language)|date=June 2017}}

File:WorldBiggestBookstore2.jpg

The store made a brief appearance in the movie Short Circuit 2 when the main character, a robot named Johnny 5, enters the store and creates chaos as he reads through the books.

On June 20, 2012, it was reported that the lease on the store's building, set to expire at the end of 2013, would not be renewed, and the store would close.{{cite web |url=http://www.yongestreetmedia.com/devnews/worldsbiggestrent0620.aspx |title=World's Biggest Bookstore goes up for rent |website=Yonge Street |date=June 20, 2012 |access-date=June 20, 2012 |first=Bert |last=Archer}}

In November 2013 it was announced that the property at 20 Edward Street had been sold to Lifetime Developments, and the store would close in mid-February and vacate the building by April.{{cite news |title=World's Biggest Bookstore closes February, sold to developer |url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2013/11/21/worlds_biggest_bookstore_being_sold_to_developer_will_close_in_february.html |accessdate=November 21, 2013 |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=November 21, 2013 |first=Francine |last=Kopun}} In February 2014, a press release by Paracom Realty Corporation stated that the site would be redeveloped and leased to four restaurants designed by Turner Fleisher Architects. The closure date was revised to the end of March 2014.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/business/2014/02/11/worlds_biggest_bookstore_to_be_replaced_by_row_of_restaurants.html |title=World's Biggest Bookstore to be replaced by row of restaurants |last=Kopun |first=Francine |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=February 11, 2014 |accessdate=February 11, 2014}} The bookstore closed for the last time on March 30, 2014.{{cite news |url=http://o.canada.com/entertainment/worlds-biggest-bookstore-last-days |title=Scenes from the last remaining days of the World's Biggest Bookstore: Downtown Toronto retailer owned by Indigo closing after 33 years on March 30 |newspaper=Postmedia News |date=March 20, 2014 |first=Marc |last=Weisblott}} The structure was demolished in November 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.blogto.com/arts/2014/11/worlds_biggest_bookstore_meets_the_wrecking_ball/ |title=World's Biggest Bookstore meets the wrecking ball |website=blogTO |date=November 24, 2014 |first=Derek |last=Flack}} The site was developed as Panda Condominiums with leasing for retail and office spaces. As of October, 2020 it was still under construction.

In the late 1990s, with customers' book shopping habits radically changing after the launch of Chapters and Indigo, the store chose to play up its "no frills" image with an advertising campaign that included the following slogans:{{Cite news|url=http://o.canada.com/business/worlds-biggest-bookstore-toronto-closing|title=World's Biggest Bookstore's closing on March 30, 2014 to spell the end of a dishevelled era|last=Weisblott|first=Marc|date=November 21, 2013|work=canada.com|access-date=June 22, 2017}}

• "We occasionally have soft mood lighting. But then we replaced the burnt out fluorescent tubes."
• "Like other bookstores, we have places to sit. But why aggravate your hemorrhoids?"
• "Books priced so low even people who don't read too good is buying them."

These self-deprecating slogans are in the style of Toronto's landmark bargain store, Honest Ed's.

{{Commons category|World's biggest bookstore, Toronto}}

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Category:Shops in Toronto

Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Toronto

Category:Indigo Books and Music

Category:1980 establishments in Ontario

Category:2014 disestablishments in Ontario

Category:Defunct retail companies of Canada

Category:Retail companies established in 1980

Category:Retail companies disestablished in 2014

Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2014