Words Worth Books is a full-service general bookstore that has been a community fixture in Waterloo, Ontario, since 1984. The original owners, Chuck Erion and Tricia Siemens, recently sold the store to long-time employees David Worsley and Mandy Brouse. Words Worth Books offers a range of interesting books and magazines backed by a knowledgeable staff in a comfortable, friendly environment—with ample evening hours (for serious literary browsers) to boot.
Though resonant with the name of famed Romantic poet William Wordsworth, the bookstore is all about getting down to business. “The name ‘Words Worth’ is a play on words connected to the notion of ‘getting your words’ worth’ out of the reading material we offer,” says owner Mandy Brouse. “That quality and uniqueness is more important than quantity. We consider ourselves curators who absolutely rely on the feedback of our customers.”
The bookstore boasts a solid team of staff who are also devout readers and book lovers, which is part of its unique approach to bookselling. “People come to us for recommendations and suggestions and we always deliver,” Brouse continues. “We’re very good at pairing books with people. When you visit our store, you’ll find our personal review notes attached on our books. I think we have somewhere around 200 of them in rotation, attached to covers! It’s all stuff we’ve read and really enjoyed.”
Words Worth has also attracted and hosted a variety of author events over the years, from W.O. Mitchell to Margaret Atwood, Christopher Moore to former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. True to its independent structure, Words Worth Books truly understands the role of community within the larger project of preserving and promoting the contributions of Canadian authors as well as booksellers.
As Mandy maintains, “Just like political canvassing, when authors connect in person with their readers, it creates a phenomenal buzz by word of mouth. And word of mouth is some of the best advertising available. We always try to really put on a show with our authors, and we always hear back about events we’ve had over the years.”
When considering new titles to feature in the store, Words Worth has an open door (open book?) policy, giving most titles a chance in conjunction with customer demand. They continue to host a vibrant range of literary events (authors scheduled for their Spring series include Miriam Toews, Rupinder Gill, Elizabeth Hay, and a small press event with Coach House Books) as well as a book club.
To read more about the bookstore, and the store’s Top Ten Reasons to shop at their location, visit their website here.
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