Calgary Hidden Gems: Slow Burn Books
By Hailey Schopper, March 11 2024—
If you have been on Tiktok over the past year you know that “Booktok” has absolutely taken over, and more specifically romance books have been receiving all the hype. The only problem? Many romance authors are “indie-authors” which means they are self-published, so oftentimes their books aren’t sold in big chain stores like Indigo. Luckily romance bookstores have been popping up in cities across North America, and last May one opened up in Calgary.
Nicola and Shannon are two sisters from Calgary who love romance books and decided to open up their own boutique here in Calgary called Slow Burn Books. Their boutique is located in Marda Loop and is the cutest place ever, perfect for all romance book lovers. Whether you’re new to romance or if it’s all you read, Nicola and Shannon are there to provide suggestions or simply chat with you. Their passion for books and their business is evident from one interaction which makes heading into their boutique a welcoming experience.
Their boutique is dedicated solely to romance books which means you have a lot of options within the genre. Whether you like contemporary, sports, fantasy, dark, paranormal, young adult, LGBTQIA+ or even clean romance they have something for you in stock.
Beyond books, they have other cute merchandise to add to your collection such as candles, tote bags, bookmarks, stickers, prints and even some t-shirts. Trust me, it is hard to leave their boutique with just one thing, and really who would want to?
In addition to books and merchandise, they also host events to help readers get involved with the romance reading community here in Calgary. Some events they host include author signings, author talks, writing workshops and wine and cheese nights. It is a super awesome way to meet people in Calgary who love the romance genre just as much as you.
At the start of 2024, they also started a monthly book club which has had major success. There is a meetup to discuss the book at the end of the month which means space is limited and registration is required. This is another great way to meet readers with similar interests, plus they read from different sub-genres every month so even if you aren’t interested in one of their picks it doesn’t mean you will never like that month’s read.
Another super cool thing about Slow Burn is their Recycled Reader Program which allows you to donate your gently used copies of books you no longer want in exchange for in-store credit. The best part? You receive credit even if your books don’t sell as a thank you from the owners for supporting their boutique.
Now that you know all about them I’m sure you want to find their socials and check out the store for yourself. On Instagram they are @slowburn.booksyyc and their TikTok is @slowburnbooksyyc, so don’t waste any more time and head over to their boutique.