Paper Birch Books: Crafting a Literary Haven in Edmonton's Little Italy
After living and working in Vancouver for numerous years, Paper Birch Books co-owners and long-time life partners Benjamin Hertwig and Céline Chuang decided to make the leap back to Edmonton with the goal of opening a brick-and-mortar used bookstore that acts as a neighbourhood hub for book lovers and community members alike.
“Edmonton has always had a special place in our hearts,” Chuang says. “When the pandemic hit both of us took a step back and decided to take a big leap and follow our passions. Books and literature have always been a big part of our identities and been a transformative part of our lives. When we looked at the Edmonton used bookstore community, we saw that there was space for us to come in and contribute a new perspective into the scene.”
For Hertwig and Chuang, finding the perfect location in Edmonton was a key factor in the success of their business. Paper Birch Books is proudly located in Edmonton’s iconic neighbourhood, Little Italy, located in McCauley and close to Boyle Street and Chinatown.
“We both love this neighbourhood and I don’t think that we would have dreamed about opening our business anywhere else,” says Chuang. “It’s a place full of characters and people with big hearts. Although the area gets a bad reputation sometimes, it’s also a place of generosity and realness, where folks show up truly as themselves. This community-minded neighbourhood, one where you often see many familiar faces, is a dynamic and a exciting place to grow our business and give back.”
In the early stages of getting the bookstore started, Hertwig and Chuang pondered a suitable name. With research into the local ecosystem, Hertwig and Chuang settled on Paper Birch Books, an homage to the paper birch tree that grows in the boreal-prairie watershed, the bark of which one can use to write on.
“There is a connection between our name and the materiality of print, and the tactile experience of books and how we curate them,” says Chuang. “As an indie bookstore, we want to contribute to our own local ecosystem—literally, as in the land that we reside on, as well as the communities and people that surround the bookstore. That’s why, from the very beginning of our business, we set aside a portion of our profits for organizations and groups doing important work for marginalized folks in our neighbourhood and city.”
With the vast majority of Paper Birch Books’ inventory being used books, the store aims to offer customers an eclectic selection of works as well as a variety of editions and price points. Hertwig and Chuang also approach their book curation with a socially conscious lens, filling their shelves with underrepresented writers who might not be considered part of the classic canon or be as well known to the common public.
“We wanted to create an inclusive and welcoming space, and that includes the books we choose to sell. When a customer comes in, it makes all the difference to see yourself in the stories around you, and that’s not always the case in used bookstores. From queer authors and stories to BIPOC anthologies, Benjamin [Hertwig] and I wanted to give local book lovers a chance to access diverse perspectives and people in literature,” says Chuang.
Hertwig and Chuang are proud to be part of an Edmonton indie bookstore scene that fosters supportive relationships between local bookstore owners and with customers.
“If we have someone come into our store looking for a light romance novel to read, we can easily point them to a different indie bookstore that has that genre in spades, whereas it’s not a focus for us. The fact that each indie bookstore offers something different for customers is an asset to all of us. Our community is a special place to be, and one that we do not take for granted.”
To celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, Paper Birch Books has teamed up with ten other local bookstores in an inaugural Edmonton Indie Bookstore Extravaganza! On April 27 and 28, hop on down to any participating bookstore and pick up an exclusive Indie Bookstore Day passport. With each stop on your bookstore itinerary, receive a stamp for your passport and special perks. Pro tip: if you make it to all eleven bookstores by the end of the weekend, you’ll get entered to win a bountiful gift basket of pooled goodies.
For more information on Paper Birch Books, visit their website or follow them on Instagram.
Photography by Jordan Hon