Welcome to Bison Books!
Serendipity awaits you in our friendly shop, where we offer an eclectic, fresh collection of around 20,000 meticulously-curated antiquarian and good used books.
We have a long-established reputation of easygoing professionalism and maintain a refined selection of everything from first editions, fine bindings and antiquarian books, to Indigenous studies, literature, art, and classics, with new acquisitions daily.
We are located in the heart of downtown, in a bright space with lofty ceilings and towering windows which look out onto one of Winnipeg’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfares.
We are always purchasing good books. We seek out and pay a premium for, valuable books, including rare books, fine bindings, illustrated books, first editions, signed books, and more. We also offer book searches, acquisitions development consultations, appraisals, movie rentals, and mail orders.



Does anyone out there like classic cookbooks? Asking for a friend. #cookbooks #bookstacks #classicbooks #shelfie #library #bookstores #goodbooks #goodeats #cooking
There are so many new books this week, that I had to take a video! Swipe for more, and we hope to see you in the shop soon! DM to hold anything you can’t live without! 🙂 #bookstacks #goodbooks #philosophybooks #childrensbooks #classicbooks #literature #bookcollecting #shelfie #bookstagram
Check out the irresistible thumb tabs on this old leather Shakespeare! 😍😍😍 #oldbooks #leatherboundbooks #illustratedbooks #shakespearesplays
Does anyone know of a creepier cover in the history of Canadian literature? 🫣
Swipe for a couple of fresh signed Ondaatje (which Siri translates as “on dodgy” btw but I digress) books, just acquired: part of a larger collection of Canadian poetry and literature coming soon to the shelves & website listings! #ondaatje #poetry #literature #vintagebooks #oldbooks #cancon #canlit
A gorgeously produced proper celebration of a master’s works, featuring vibrant colour reproductions on tissue and glossy paper. 😍 Oh… and it’s only $30. DM to hold or purchase! #artbooks #michelangelo #usedbooks
My first buy of the day: a pair of signed hardcover editions of good books. These walked in the door shortly after opening; their owner was referred here by a trusted source, and her husband ferried them to us. I have four more buying appointments today, and if it is like most days, we will also have a few walk-ins. 📚😃 Come see what’s new! #embarrassmentofriches #bookhaul #bookbuy #carlray #norvalmorrisseau #ojibway #cree #treatyoneterritory
Help wanted!
🗓 20 to 30 hours / 3 to 4 days per week.
REQUIREMENTS 🤓
Competence with computers and POS systems, familiarity with books, ability to thrive with or without direct supervision, affection for readers, reliability, punctuality, kindness.
DUTIES 👩💻
In-person and virtual customer service, general shop maintenance, shipping, data entry, whatever else comes up.
ASSETS ✨
A sunny disposition, customer service experience, familiarity with local book shops/culture, good taste in music.
OFFERED 📚
Reciprocal respect and loyalty, an intellectually stimulating work environment, a predictable schedule, access to great books.
Minimum wage to start.
If you would like to be considered for this position, please supply a resume and cover letter to Bison Books, preferably in person. Please include your availability and let me know why this job appeals to you. Tell me something about yourself!
#helpwanted #hiring #winnipeg #jobs #booksellerlife
Phase one of our new website is complete! 😃 Link in bio. Merci beaucoup to @downtownwpgbiz for the connect grant and hooking us up with NSD Tech, who are great communicators and have provided lots of good advice! #bookstore #website #bookstoresofinstagram
Happily out west! Today was a gorgeous day for a walk in Kananaskis, a serendipitous stop at a great bookshop in Bragg Creek, and ice cream! #canadiana #alberta #kananaskis #bookshops
A few great new (to us) collections will be filtering out into the shelves and website over the next month… or two… 🙃featuring a ton of antiquarian and historical gems! I’m excited. Are you? #indigenous #history #canadiana #canadianhistory #turtleisland #treatyoneterritory #missionaries
Do you have books to sell? Are you wondering how to go about it? This post is for you! ✨
We are always interested in acquiring good books. We offer cash or credit, your choice! 📚
You can either bring your books in to us, or ask us about a housecall.
If you’d like to bring them in, you can drop in and try your luck, or make an appointment to have them looked at while you wait (link in bio). (Note that we are inundated with appointments lately, so the next available appointment is often a week away.)
If you would like to arrange a housecall, call or email to discuss it with me first. I’ll need to know what kinds of books you have and where they are located.
In either case, if you would like your books pre-screened, feel free to send us some stock photos by DM or email.
Once they are in front of me, I will go through your books, select out those for which we have a robust market, and don’t already have on the shelves, and make an offer for those selected. The rest, you get to keep. 🙃
Next, we will clean, price, and catalogue the newly acquired books, arrange them neatly on the shelves, and one day, send them off to loving homes.
#booksellerlife #bookstosell #bookstagram #downsizing #decluttering #bookstacks
A: It’s the 1884 Bird’s Eye View of Winnipeg Map, a lovely 19th century example of this classic map format, showing Winnipeg’s first two bridges, with Portage Ave as “Queen Street”, and bordered by 19 views of notable buildings. A classic of any Winnipeg collection, and unlikely to last long, so ☎️ if you’re interested! #winnipeg #map #manitoba #birdseyeview #oldmaps #1884 Edit: SOLD.
Trivia! Who knows what I have here? 😃 Fresh weekend acquisitions will be landing at the shop this morning! #map #winnipeg #oldmaps
Here are some pretty butterflies to lighten up your scroll. 🦋
Bates, The Naturalist on the River Amazons. c1892.
#butterflies #oldbooks #naturalist #amazon #butterfly
30s graphics! 🍊🦬 !!! #oldbooks #1930s #childrensbooks #oldbooks
So satisfying ✨ A gorgeous 49-volume set of the Harvard Classics purchased this morning. DM for holds or inquiries. #satisfying #bookstagram
Canadian colloquialisms, explained in “Plain English”… like English has ever presented itself as anything approaching “plain”! 😂#canadiana #ephemera #dictionary #slang #colloquialisms
Sneaking in the Friday book stacks late-ish on Thursday, so you can dream of your favourites and plan to come in tomorrow to grab them. 😉 Oh, and check stories on Friday for some bonus stacks! We are open 10-4 Mon-Sat. DM for a few days’ hold on your picks. 📚📚📚 #bookstacks #books #newarrivals #read #readersofinstagram
Book tsunami! Who can relate? 🙋 #booksellerlife #bookstack #newarrrivals #bookhauls
Cree What They Do Book, 1970. In Cree and English, illustrated with line drawings. #creelanguage #cree