Our Story

Russell Books Ltd. is a third generation, family-owned company founded in Montreal, in 1961. It began as a 300 square foot, one aisle, secondhand bookstore and gradually grew into the largest used, antiquarian, and new bookstore in town. In 1991, Reg Russell, the founder of the store, opened a Victoria branch with his daughter Diana and her husband Ron Depol on the 700 block of Fort Street. Ron and Diana are the current owners of Russell Books, while their daughter, Andrea Minter, and her husband Jordan manage the company.

In 2019, due to the increasing need for more space (thanks to the inflow of more and more great books!), the store was moved into an even larger location to 747 Fort Street. The move was a herculean undertaking with approximately one million books being moved across Fort Street into their new space. This new location is the current home of Russell Books, and includes two floors, and 18,000 square feet of retail space with a fully accessible layout and even more room for books! 

Family has always been a central part of Russell Books, and we believe in creating a welcoming and open community space for everyone. The owners and staff passionately believe in the importance of books and literacy in the community. The store hosts events, holds author readings, and puts on school fairs throughout Victoria in order to bring the magic of books to as many people as possible. 

As Canada’s largest independent bookstore, Russell Books is proud to be a part of such a supportive and book loving city! We are grateful to be embedded in such a diverse community, and our staff and customers love of reading and books inspires us, impacts our central values and approach to our role in Victoria. See our timeline below to track the growth and progress of the store from 1961 to today. 

We are always thankful for the support we receive from our customers and we look forward to a future filled with books and community!